>>4099115
>>It’s average, albeit fit, looking. However, your right arm is noticeably augmented, made of some black graphite material, with omni-directional wrists. (Your augmentations are precision-based, you’re extremely precise and perceptive, but require constant maintenance.)

>>4099115
>It’s average, albeit fit, looking. However, your right arm is noticeably augmented, made of some black graphite material, with omni-directional wrists. (Your augmentations are precision-based, you’re extremely precise and perceptive, but require constant maintenance.)

>>4099115
>It’s average, albeit fit, looking. However, your right arm is noticeably augmented, made of some black graphite material, with omni-directional wrists. (Your augmentations are precision-based, you’re extremely precise and perceptive, but require constant maintenance.)

>>4099115
>It’s thin and lanky. Women you’ve known have described you as toned. (Your augmentations are agility-based. You’re extremely agile and can move faster than the unaugmented eye can perceive, but not very precise in your movements.)

Your body was average, albeit fit looking. However, your arm, as black as graphite from it’s lightweight carbon material gave you away as obviously augmented. Such high-end augments required significant modifications to a body’s frame and nervous system to handle without simply ripping themselves off during use. But such augments were just par for the course in the line of work you were involved in.

After a cold shower to wake yourself up, you weren’t so augmented to have lost your sense of touch just yet, you pick up your laser razor to singe off the stubble on your face, then comb your unruly hair into order, so it’s the company standard of neatness. After finishing off the rest of your morning toilet, you step back into your room. A mental command turns on your coffee maker.

You walk over to your closet and draw out the clothes for today. Your employer, Muramoto Corporations, had an image to uphold, and demanded it’s employees do so … although, you were dressing yourself more formally than usually. Today, you were being called to corporate headquarters.

It probably had something to do with the incident two days ago, you think to yourself as you dress yourself. White undershirt, black pants, black suit jacket, black shades. You admire yourself in the dresser mirror. You looked your part of a Corporate Enforcer, but one vital thing was missing. It was sitting in it’s stand at the foot of your bed. Your weapon, your pride and joy: a matte-black shirasaya, it’s monomolecular-edged blade as long as your arm and sharp enough to cut through anything short of military-grade ceramic.

But it was still a mostly ceremonial badge of rank than anything else. Right beside your shirasaya was …

>An old, heavy-duty revolver. High-caliber, reliable, and kicks like a mule. (6 ammo)

>A company-provided semiautomatic. As ubiquitous as they come. (13 ammo)

>A flechette-needler. Deadly-accurate, but high-maintenance and a bit lacking in stopping power. (30 ammo)

>>4099191
>A company-provided semiautomatic. As ubiquitous as they come. (13 ammo)
I think we'd be able to use our precision augs for placing shots into vulnerable points.

Btw. why isn't our corp afraid of projecting a yakuza association by using a shirasaya mounting? Or have the stereotypes changed in the future?

>>4099196
Enforcers high-ranking enough to get Shirasaya aren't really handling PR jobs. They're more for business-to-business transactions, if you get what I mean. The kind of jobs where everyone involved knows all about your corp's connections to the Yakuza.

>>4099191
>An old, heavy-duty revolver. High-caliber, reliable, and kicks like a mule. (6 ammo)
Speak softly and carry a big stick.

>>4099191
>>A company-provided semiautomatic. As ubiquitous as they come. (13 ammo)

>>4099191
>A company-provided semiautomatic. As ubiquitous as they come. (13 ammo)

Your Shirasaya and Semiautomatic. That was what made you an enforcer. You handled more specialized weaponry when you needed to, but those two were yours. But you weren’t ready to don them just yet. First … a cup of coffee.

Sipping your coffee, you heat some rolls in your microwave … damn, your fridge was beginning to run low. You’d have to go shopping soon.

Finishing breakfast, you slip your shirasaya into your belt, then tuck your semiautomatic into the harness hidden under your jacket. Those were the last touches to your outfit. Now, you were ready.

You step out your door. A mental command locks it. In contrast to your room, which was comfortably warm, the air in the corridor was quite cold. That was the price to pay for the massive rooftop array of air scrubbers that kept the outside pollution out of your apartment building. You wouldn’t be complaining come the next heat-wave.

The hallways were sparse with people, and besides, no one wanted to get in your way. Your shirasaya, the naked carrying of weapons, set you apart as a corporate enforcer, and Noir was virtually ruled by said corporations. No one’s eager to share the lift down to the garage with you.

You’re hit by a wave of hot, filth-laden air as soon as you get off the lift into the garage. Your eyes would have watered if they were still capable. Instead, a toxicity meter springs up in the corner of your vision. If there was a defining feature of Noir other than the skyscrapers and sprawling arcologies, it was the air. How badly it affected you told everything about your social class. The upper crust of the city sat safe above it all in their skyscrapers. The upper-salariat avoided it with the web of pressurized monorails and walkways connecting the skyline of Noir into a solid roof. And the common white and blue-collars? Well, every breath must have tasted like dirt going down for them.

As for you? You’ve been past caring for three years now. That’s how long you’ve had your company-subsidized lung-filters.

You pass by the beat-up cars in the garage to your own private garage in the corner of the basement garage, closed off with a corrugated metal door. You tap your name into the terminal …

>Choose a name

>>4099237
I expect breathing masks to be a common fashion accessory

>Kentaro Seido

>>4099237
>Choose a name

Nah

>>4099241
+1

>>4099237
Yagyu Harunobu Taira Toshimaru

>>4099237
Wait, are we supposed to give the name in the Japanese or Western order?

>>4099267
Well, with a bit of research I determined that you did it in the western order so what you did is fine.

Vote called, writing long-ass update.

File: Cyber2.jpg (78 KB, 800x600)

78 KB JPG

[Kentaro Seido]
[*********]

As soon as you submit your verification code, there’s the grinding sound of old machinery from behind the garage door. To save space in the garage, there was an elevator system which held a series of small units. The garage door opens, revealing your personal unit. It was a small space, barely large enough for a minicar. But your motorcycle didn’t need anything else.

In contrast to the aging system of the garage it was stored in, your motorcycle was sleek and modern-looking, all red and chrome. It probably cost more than anything else you owned, with the exception of your shirasaya. But like most of the valuables you owned, they had been provided by Muramoto Corporations free of charge. It was part of their compensation for your work, alongside your apartment in their building. Besides, It didn’t cost them much, they shipped millions of these bikes worldwide annually from their factories. Outside of such compensations, you weren’t paid much better than the average Blue.

As soon as you’re at the garage entrance and on your bike, you give your bike an experimental rev. The engine sounded buttery smooth, as far as your ears could tell, and those were ears that could triangulate the exact position of a silenced gunshot over a hundred meters away. Then, you take off, out onto the street. Corporate Headquarters was a few arcologies across the city, but on your bike, it was barely half an hour away by freeway.

With a hybrid solar-electric and gasoline engine, there wasn’t anything faster on the freeway. With internal computer-controlled gyros, the cramped streets and alleys between you and the nearest freeway entrance - You swear you were more agile than some pedestrians. It was a joy to ride your jap rocket. Yep, as far as you were concerned, you were compensated more than enough.

No one gave you any extra attention for carrying weapons out in the open, not that local law-enforcement’s outdated scooters would ever be fast enough to catch up with you either on or off the freeway. Besides, law enforcement had been subsidized to Muramoto Corporations in this area of the city a long time ago. You give a wry smile as you speed past a patrol car. The crookedness of the system didn’t escape you.

Before long, the vast pyramid of corporate headquarters looms in front of you. A fork off the freeway led directly into it’s internal parking lot. The security drone lets you pass, as it always does, it’s biometric scan of your face is so fast and automatic you don’t even need to stop your bike.

In the Strata-Two Muramoto Corporation Garage, there’s no need to lock down your motorcycle. Anywhere else in the city, you would rather die than leave it in the open, unattended, but here if anywhere else, you were sure that no punk would try to steal it.

The corridors of the corporate were quite sparse at this level. The space in Strata Two floors and up were mostly for show, the bulk of the rank-and-file office workers and salarymen were concentrated in Strata Three and Four, floors B2-62. That left the top twenty floors for the use of about a thousand employees of middling rank such as yourself. But still, you couldn’t miss the occasional passing glance, the whisper from one coworker to another.

“Hey, isn’t that him?

You had been the topic of gossip since the incident two days ago. And why would you be? You had done a good job tracking down and stopping that intruder before anyone else did. By the time you’re in the lift, you were sure that you’d get a pay raise out of it, or maybe some added benefits, maybe even a promotion.

But just as soon as you’ve sent a mental command to take you up to your division leader’s floor, a hand stops the elevator doors from closing. In steps …

>Your fellow enforcer, Gino. You started working as enforcers at the same time, were in the same orientation actually. He’s been on the fast-track of rank promotions, a bit faster than you. But who knows? The way you were called to headquarters today, maybe that will change.

>Your junior, Kenji. He’s part of the same division as you, but he’s really too young and enthusiastic to make it in the underground. You doubt he’ll be assigned anything … sensitive … anytime soon.

>Toshiba from book-keeping. She’s pretty cute, but other than that, you don’t know much about her.

>A mysterious man in dreadlocks, shades, and a leather trenchcoat. You’ve never seen him before. He doesn’t look like he’s from Muramoto.

Feeling sleepy, so that's the last update today. I'll continue tomorrow. Probably.

>>4099300
>Your fellow enforcer, Gino. You started working as enforcers at the same time, were in the same orientation actually. He’s been on the fast-track of rank promotions, a bit faster than you. But who knows? The way you were called to headquarters today, maybe that will change.

>>4099300
>>Your junior, Kenji. He’s part of the same division as you, but he’s really too young and enthusiastic to make it in the underground. You doubt he’ll be assigned anything … sensitive … anytime soon.

>>4099300
>A mysterious man in dreadlocks, shades, and a leather trenchcoat. You’ve never seen him before. He doesn’t look like he’s from Muramoto.

>>4099300
>>Your fellow enforcer, Gino. You started working as enforcers at the same time, were in the same orientation actually. He’s been on the fast-track of rank promotions, a bit faster than you. But who knows? The way you were called to headquarters today, maybe that will change.

>>4099300
>>A mysterious man in dreadlocks, shades, and a leather trenchcoat. You’ve never seen him before. He doesn’t look like he’s from Muramoto.

>>4099300
>>A mysterious man in dreadlocks, shades, and a leather trenchcoat. You’ve never seen him before. He doesn’t look like he’s from Muramoto.

>>4099300
>Your junior, Kenji. He’s part of the same division as you, but he’s really too young and enthusiastic to make it in the underground. You doubt he’ll be assigned anything … sensitive … anytime soon.

vote called, writing

A black-gloved hand stops the lift from opening. In steps a massive man in dreadlocks, shades, and a leather trenchcoat which drooped all the way to his boots. You recognize the small, but telltale bulge of a high-powered firearm on his left. He didn’t look like he was from Muramoto. Rather, he looked rather mercenary. A cursory query to the Corporation’s security network for his status only returns the words [Entry Permitted], and your cyberbrain didn’t have the bandwidth for anything more sophisticated so you leave it at that.

Both of you tacitly face the front door of the lift, without looking at each other or saying a word. The lift is too high-speed to really give the time for a good conversation anyways. It stops halfway to your floor to let in some middle-aged sniveling Blank, probably an upper-middle manager in charge of half an arcology’s worth of employees or so. He looks visibly perturbed by having to share a lift with the man in the trenchcoat, although he doesn’t seemed reassured by your presence either. Poor thing, he probably hasn’t seen anything harder than an Irish Coffee, or below a floor 10 his entire life.

But both of them are bound for a higher floor than you. That was the state of the hierarchy here. You get off on floor 70. That was where your division was housed, the west wing of floor 70. You strongly resist the urge to run there. Even with your modest leg augmentations, you doubt it would take more than five minutes.

Fifteen minutes later

The armored blast door slides open from your mental request, letting you into Division 56’s lounge. You find it occupied by … some people you didn’t know. Today wasn’t one of the days you usually worked. You recognize some of the faces from some of the larger operations you’ve taken part in, but that’s it.

You knock on the door at the back of the room.

“Enter.” Your boss gruffly says from behind the door.

You step into your division leader’s office. It was a bare, spartan thing, not much more than a desk with a mounted monitor and a few file cabinets - Although you knew from personal experience that one of those cabinets held something other than ‘files’, something more along the lines of ‘strong alcohol’.

“Seido-kun, close the door behind you.”

“Sir.” The door slides shut.

Jeb Hao. That was your division leader. A longtime veteran of enforcement work, although he probably hasn’t been out of the office for years. He was a loyal enforcer to the bone without a hint of ambition inside him, never complaining, never asking for promotions or pay-raises. He’d probably never be promoted past Division Leader, he was probably too useful in that position. Despite his gruff demeanour, you liked the old man. He was a man with principles, an honor-code. Besides, he was a firm believer in personally rewarding hard work.

But there was an uncharacteristically long gap between your greeting and him beginning to speak.

“I … don’t know how to explain this to you, Seido-kun ...” He began tentatively, before squinting at the monitor in front of him. You wait patiently for him to continue. “I mean, take a look at this shit yourself!” Hao swings his monitor around so you can see what’s displayed ...

Document of Reassignment

Classified - Level 5 Encryptions

Enforcer Seido Kentaro is to be transferred to the Muramoto Household and reassigned to the personal security detail of Lady Kaguya. Transfer and reassignment are immediate. Enforcer Seido Kentaro is to report to his new post at the Muramoto Manor as soon as possible.

- Muramoto Household Management Staff

“The frag is this?” you mutter to yourself.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Hao admits, “No one gets reassigned to household affairs until they’re five or six ranks above me, let alone mid-rate muscle like you ...”

>I have no idea what to make of this.

>You can never tell what Tier 0 is thinking.

>This seems like corporate politics to me.

>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?

>>4099717
>>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?
Just caught up, looking good OP. Always liked the idea of getting a look at the life of a Corpo climber. Then again I'm a sucker for intrigue.

>>4099717
>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?

>>4099717
>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?

>>4099717
>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?

>>4099717
>This seems like corporate politics to me.
>Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?

Vote called, writing

“Sir, permission to voice my opinion?”

“Go on ahead,” Hao grunts. He’s never stopped you before.

“Maybe … this has something to do with the incident?” you tentatively suggest.

Hao gives something between a snort and a derisive laugh. “What, you mean the incident two days ago? Are you fragging serious? I bet Tier 1 hasn’t even heard about it, let alone Tier 0 … well, I guess that’s why you’re an enforcer and not an investigator, hah.

It was a rather stupid idea. You wonder why you had said that.

…
You had caught him in down in level 10. You had cut your way through several dozen hacked security drones to get to him on your chase through the sublevels of Muramoto Corporate’s headquarters. You found him down at the end of the armoured corridor leading to headquarter’s tertiary server room. He had pried a panel of the wall loose and was plugged in, trying to open the blast door at the end. You had run down the corridor and bisected his skull in one swift motion (You’d used up all your ammo on the drones in your way). You hadn’t been out to take prisoners that night, especially ones that could commandeer the use of your limbs as long as they were alive.

Subduing him, you had called over security to your location. And that had been it. A commendable search-and-destroy mission, certainly deserving of some praise and a promotion … but not worth being promoted up an entire Tier … You knew this. So why had you even thought your reassignment had anything to do with it?

Hao pulls open one of the cabinets and pulls a bottle of some milky-looking liquid out, as well as two petrocrystal tumblers out.

“Well, at any rate, your reassignment’s technically a promotion so this calls for some celebration.” He muses, pouring you a glass, “Hears to Tier 0 being batshit insane!”

“To new opportunities!” You toast him and down the stuff, before immediately gagging as it burns it’s way down your throat. “What was that stuff?”

“Ryu-lai sake,” Hao laughs, “It’s expensive, so that’s enough for you …”

Yeah, there was no way a drink that strong was simple rice wine.

“I’m going to miss you in my division,” Hao admits, pouring himself another glass, “Although, I have to admit, it’s about time you got a promotion. I would have promoted you if you didn’t get reassigned anyways … still though … thinking that it was due to the incident two days ago … Hah! Well I guess there’s a reason you’re an enforcer instead of an investigator.” Hao claps you heavily on the back. “Be seeing you, Kentaro-kun.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“What is it?” Hao asks.

“Sir, there’s someone here looking for Kentaro.”

Hao nods. “Well, looks like it’s time you got going, Kentaro-kun.”

Standing at the entrance of Division 56’s lounge was the most posh-looking man you had ever seen. He looked as well-groomed as a model on an advertisement in the financial district, and his suit looked more expensive than your bike.

“Seido Kentaro, I presume?”

“That’s me.”

“I’ve come to escort you to Muramoto Manor. But first, let me present you with this.” The well-groomed man bows and presents you an envelope. You cautiously take it from his outstretched hand.

“Please, don’t hold back.” He says, still bowing, urging you to open the envelope. You tear it open. Inside was a pale blue plastic card covered in gold circuit tracery, all leading to a chip embedded in it’s side.

“Your passcard,” the well-groomed man explains, “Welcome to the Muramoto Household.”

You hear whispering from the enforcers in the lounge.

What’s that’s guy’s deal?
Hey, isn’t that guy the one who caught the intruder back in level 10?
What does Household want with him?
Fragging Tier 0 ...

Honestly, you were still just as confused as the rest of them.

“Now then, Seido-san, please follow me.” The well-groomed man bows again, then begins to walk down the corridor. The two of you don’t exchange a word all the way to the Tier-2 lobby, where a black sedan with a chauffeur was waiting for you.

It isn’t until the car’s on the freeway that you think to ask your escort the questions that had built up ever since you learned of your reassignment.

>Do you have any questions to ask?

Alright, I admit it. I'm shitty at finding appropriate cyberpunk art for what's happening in the quest. Feel free to post cyberpunk art. so this thread isn't just text

>>4099867
>"Are you able to tell me the reason for my reassignment?"

>>4099867
>Any tips for working at the Household?

>>4099867
>>4099871
Support.

>Do you have any questions to ask?

“So … I hear it’s pretty rare for someone of my rank to start working in the Household,” You say.

“I must admit, it is most uncommon.” Your escort admits.

“Can you tell me why I got reassigned, then?” You ask.

“Unfortunately, I am not privy to the decisions of my superiors.” Your escort smoothly replies.

“Got any ideas then?”

“It is not my place to theorize on the decision-making processes of my superiors either.”

Damn. While your escort was the most polite person you’ve ever met, he still wasn’t much of a conversation partner. Seriously, you’ve met cleaning drones more talkative. Well, you had one last question so you might as well ask it.

“So I’ve got the sense you’ve been working in the Household for several years now.” You try.

“That is correct. It has not been an unlengthy amount of time.”

“Any tips for working in the Household then?”

You finally get a reaction other than courteous consideration out of your escort. He seems to ponder your question seriously. “I expect that you will be briefed on the finer details of procedure and etiquette during your orientation. However, I will tell you that as an organization, Muramoto Corporations puts great value in upholding tradition in the way they conduct themselves, and that this is especially true in the household.”

This was all information you were already aware of. Muramoto Corporation’s reverence for traditional values was reflected in all aspects of how it ran itself. Employee lay-offs and firings were rare, there was no big corporation with better job security. But in return, the company expected hard work and loyalty no matter the circumstances or pay. Then there was the adoption of old-school Ko-ryu aesthetics - the fact that even middle-ranking enforcers were issued high-quality shirasaya was just one aspect of that. Muramoto Corporations really ran itself more like a feudal warlord state than a company, it was even run completely by one family. Aspiring shareholders and high-ranking employees were expected to either marry into or be adopted by the vast and wealthy Muramoto family.

You notice that the car was climbing higher and higher into the more mountainous parts of the city. Noir was built in a valley, but over time it had slowly grown up the mountain slopes as less and less room became available in the valley. Since they were more-or-less above the layer of smog in the city, the mountain slopes had become the refuge for the ultrarich. The higher and higher you climbed, the more the city gave way from the usual sprawl of cheap apartment buildings and small office buildings, to quiet and relatively pollution-free residential districts, to the mountainside estates of the ultrarich. No matter where you were in Noir, it held true that the higher up you went, the better-off you were.

File: 2007_02a.jpg (69 KB, 650x360)

69 KB JPG

Before long, you’ve arrived at a traditional-looking manor. You pass by an imposing-looking main gate, only to enter the estate through a smaller side-entrance a bit further down the slope.

“Seido-san, we have arrived.” Your escort informs you. You exit the car, finding yourself in a small, cramped courtyard. A garage door set in the slope of the mountain opens, and the car and chauffeur disappear inside. “Now, please allow me to guide you to the Master’s meeting room.

>Muramoto Manor theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEH5EVCS0yA

You’re guided through the ornate manor. It was built in a traditional Japanese style, all wooden framing and paper walls. It would be exactly like the set of an old samurai movie, if not for the modern electric lights disguised as traditional lamps … as well as the distinctive gleam of concealed security cameras hidden amongst the ornamentation and shadows. Everyone you passed by seemed to be serving staff. The men were dressed in conservative, if obviously expensive suits while the women were dressed in extremely authentic-looking yukata.

You’re soon lost amidst the twists and turns of the manor. Even your pathfinding programs can’t make sense of where you’ve gone - no doubt, the architecture was built this way intentionally. Without your guide, you’d be lost in an endless maze of pinewood and paper walls.

Abruptly, your guide stops and slides open a paper door, revealing a tatami-matted room nearly identical to the ones you had caught glimpses of on the way.

“Please wait here until you are summoned, Seido-san.” Your escort informs you. You nod in acknowledgement.

“I never got your name.” You tell your escort.

He gives an enigmatic smile. “My name is of no matter to you, Seido-san. But please, feel free to contact me should you need help getting accustomed to the Household.

“And how should I do that without your name?”

“Simply contact reception,” Your escort gives a final bow. “It was a pleasure, Seido san. Please do your best in your new career.”

With that, you’re left alone in the room.

>Simply wait for your summons

>Examine the room

>Examine the local cyberspace

>Play yourself some music (Anon song recs accepted)

>>4100247
>Meditate
Are write-ins OK?

>>4100247
>>Examine the room
Also >>4100252

>>4100252
Write-ins are always okay unless explicitly said so. But please try to keep them sensical.

>>4100247
>Examine the local cyberspace

>>4100247
also
>Play yourself some music (Anon song recs accepted)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6ca9cKISwE

>>4100247
>Examine the room
>Examine the local cyberspace

>>4100325
Nice choice of music, anon. Goes really well with the scene.

Due to circumstances beyond the character's control, only one option could be chosen, so I will go along with meditate.

Also I, uh, wrote the update only to discover that some new votes were cast. Oops.

You take the moment you have to yourself to calm your mind. You crouch into a seiza position and calm your breathing. Stillness of mind … that was the key to correct action. The correct action flowed from the mind without attachment like water, especially in unfamiliar situations, and you would definitely consider this situation unfamiliar ...

Unbidden, you remember your first breathing exercises …

A sunlit room with a woodblock floor. A hundred students, novices of the sword, lined up in rows crouched and with their eyes closed. Senior students walking amongst them with quiet footsteps, punishing any distraction or lapse in concentration with a blow from the wooden bokken they carried. Back then, you hadn’t had a single augmentation in your body, you had been whole …

You dismiss the memory as quickly as it comes. No distraction could be permitted. But still, you couldn’t stop a trickle of gratitude to your instructors for teaching your young self discipline.

You’re not sure how much time passes before a maid in a yukata slides open the door, but by then you’ve completely calmed your mind.

“The Master will see you now,” She tells you. You nod and get up.

The maid leads you even deeper into the tangle of rooms, until you come to another unmarked door.

“Enter.” A deep, authoritative voice commands.

At his behest, the maid slides open the screen door and ushers you in before closing it behind you, disappearing. You’re in another tatami-matted room, but it was much larger than the one you had been in, large enough to be a reception hall. At the far side of the room was a dais. Sitting at that dais was a powerfully built, severe-looking man with graying hair. He was flanked by two masked men with black suits carrying sheathed katanas at their sides. Behind him in an alcove was a suit of lacquered red samurai armor, but despite being larger than him, it only served to enhance his presence.

“Prostate yourself.” He commanded. You comply, touching your forehead to the ground.

“Well, at least you know the proper way to show respect.” The Man on the Dais approves, “You were taught well. Tell me - which school did you learn such manners from?”

“At the Noir-Muramoto Guard-Retainer Academy,” You answer, still keeping your head bowed, “I was part of the vocational training program.”

“I see. So our school still succeeds in teaching proper conduct to the young.” The Man on the Dais muses, “Tell me, Seido-kun, do you know who I am?”

>No sir, I don’t.

>You are related to Lady Kaguya.

>My employer. That’s all that matters.

>Guess (Will require a roll)

>>4100618
>No sir, I don’t.

>>4100618
>My employer. That’s all that matters.
>Try to guess internally.

>>4100618
>Guess internally say "No sir i don't"
Noir-muramoto hmm muramoto
Most likely a Head of the company/Household depends on if the character we are playing as has ever heard or learn their name

>>4100618
Be careful with switching present and past tense!

>No sir, I don’t.

>>4100618
>My employer. That’s all that matters.

Vote called, writing.

>>4100692
Yikes! Gotta keep an eye on that stuff. Thanks for reminding me.

Giving you guys a free pass since you’re guessing internally, so a wrong answer won’t embarrass you

The man in front of you could be many people. The Muramoto family was vast, easily having over a hundred members. It was also a family which kept it’s internal affairs private. Even as an employee of their corporation for seven years, you only knew less than a handful of names, one of them being the company CEO, Takeshi Muramoto. In Noir, you only knew of two Muramotos, Branch manager Hideyoshi Muramoto and Branch Second Lieutenant Hideyori Muramoto. But both were too high-ranking to waste their time dealing with a mid-level enforcer - wait, bodyguard now, like you. But still, you knew enough to tell that no one would have a seat as grand as this one unless they were a Muramoto. But without a name, you had to admit you didn’t know.

“No sir, I don’t.” You admit.

“Humility suits you.” The Man on the Dais tells you. His words sounded honest, there was no mocking or derisive tone behind it.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Raise your head, Seido-kun.”

You raise your head. The Man on the Dais takes a sip from a cup of tea before placing it back on a small table at his side.

“I am Muramoto Hideyoshi. I’m sure you know enough not to call me by name though. As long as you work within this household, you will refer to me as ‘Master’.”

“Understood, Master.” You give a slight bow to acknowledge, partly to hide the look of shock on your face. The Branch Manager himself? Normally, you wouldn’t even expect him to acknowledge your presence, let alone receive you personally in his reception hall.

>Ask him why he’s doing so. While you’re on that, ask him why you were assigned this job in the first place.

>Stay silent. Tier 0’s business was Tier 0’s business. You don’t expect to ever fully understand their thinking.

>>4100715
>Say we don't believe we're worthy of an honor of working directly for the Branch Manager
This won't seem out of line, but at the same time will invite an explanation.

>>4100715
>Say we don't believe we're worthy of an honor of working directly for the Branch Manager

>>4100721
+1

“Don’t think you can hide your shock from me.” Muramoto warns you, “Just this once, I will allow you to question the judgement of your superiors.”

“It’s nothing,” You say, “It’s just that … I didn’t believe I was worthy of working directly for the Branch Manager.”

Muramoto snorts. “What are you talking about? Did you think you’d have the honor of me supervising your every action just because you’re a member of my household? You’re not working directly under me, you’re working for my niece.”

Ah yes. That was what had been on the document Hao had showed you. You were to be part of Lady Kaguya’s security detail.

“I’m sorry my skull’s so thick.” You apologize. “But if I’m to be working for Kaguya-sama, then why are you giving me my … orientation?”

“I am entrusting the safety of a female member of the family member to a man from outside the family. It is only proper for a senior member of the family to be responsible for this. Besides, my niece is hardly in the position to inform you of your duties.” Muramoto says the last bit enigmatically.

“And what would these duties be?”

“You will be my niece’s retainer. You will stay at her side night and day, unless she dismisses you, in which case you will remain close enough to come if she has need of you. Not only will you be responsible for her safety, you will also be the enforcer of her will. It is a prominent position in this household. I hope you appreciate that.”

“I am honored.” Again, you bow.

“It is good that you appreciate this privilege.” Muramoto says, “Now then … Kaguya, you may enter.”

A screen door at the side of the room slides open, and a small child in an elegant furisode steps into the room.

“Uncle.” The girl, Kaguya, bows deeply in a practised, but stiff, manner before kneeling at her uncle’s side.

“Kaguya, this here is Seido-kun.” Muramoto gestures at you. “He will be taking over for Toshi-kun from today onwards.”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance.” Kaguya says formally, giving you a slight bow. You thought that your boss would be a little … older. At least old enough to be a person of power in the corporation.

“Kaguya, you are going to be relying on this man from now on.” Muramoto says sternly, before turning his gaze back to you, “And Seido-kun, you are going to be responsible for her safety. It is critical that there are no misunderstandings between the two of you. If either of you have any questions, voice them now.”

>Do you have any questions for Muramoto or Kaguya?

Last update for a while. I need sleep.

>>4100808
>>Do you have any questions for Muramoto or Kaguya?
Nothing for now

>>4100808
Nothing that occurs immediately. Maybe later we'll see something worth questioning.

>>4100808
That fucker understood us perfectly. Unless the kid is somehow paying our salary, we _are_ working for him.

>Do you have any questions for Muramoto or Kaguya?
Are there any threats to Kaguya-sama's safety that we should be aware of? What is the appropriate level of paranoia that we should employ?

>>4100808
>Any threats worth mentioning?
>Conduct/ Procedure on being Kaguya Retainer that we shall follow?

>>4100824
I'm going to switch to support >>4100825 and >>4100829.

>>4100825
>>4100829
Supporting.

“I have several, Master. How should I conduct myself as Kaguya’s retainer. And what threats to Kaguya-sama’s safety should I be wary of?” You ask.

Muramoto turns to his niece. “Perhaps you should answer those answers, Kaguya. He is your retainer after all.”

Kaguya nods. “Understood, uncle,” She says in a stiff, tightly controlled voice. “Seido-kun, you must follow the etiquette of the Muramoto name, a proper way of conduct with ancient roots in zen, bushido, and neo-confucianism …”

“Seido-kun is already well-acquaintanced with proper etiquette,” Muramoto interrupts, “Perhaps even more so than you.”

“I see,” Kaguya responds woodenly. It was disconcerting how tightly controlled everything about her voice was. If not for the high pitch, you would never have thought of at as the voice of a child. “Then I shall address the threats you will be expected to deal with. Your main concerns will be opportunistic kidnappers and common criminal activity. Fortunately, what threats you will have to confront are mostly capable of being handled by the house security drones …”

“Kaguya, it is unbecoming of you to avoid a necessary topic simply because it is uncomfortable for you.” Muramoto sternly reprimands her, eliciting a small gasp from his niece. “Tell Seido-kun what happened to Toshi-kun.”

“Understood, uncle.” Kaguya nods. However, for the first time, you can hear a hint of emotion in her voice. “Three days ago, my former retainer Toshi disappeared for unknown reasons. We still … We still ...”

“We still haven’t found the body.” Muramoto finishes for her. Kaguya is unable to continue speaking, struggling to rein in a wave of emotion and maintain her composure.

You feel a mild sense of surprise. Disappeared, huh? And so totally that one of the most powerful corporations in the city was unable to find him? Judging from how upset Kaguya was, she had been close to him.

“Collect yourself.” Muramoto commands Kaguya. You see little love in the way he deals with his niece. “Now, do you have any questions for your retainer?”

“No uncle, I do not.”

“It is settled then.” Muramoto nods, before taking another sip of tea. “Miki, send Seido-kun the appropriate files.” The masked man on his left nods. A millisecond later, you receive a compressed file. Decrypting it, you find map data, a file detailing job specifics and privileges, and several dossiers on Kaguya and her immediate staff. But you don’t have time to read through them all before Muramoto waves his hand, gesturing at you and Kaguya to leave.

“We’re finished here. Bring in the next petitioner. And Kaguya?”

Kaguya turns around at the doorway. “Yes uncle?”

“Seido is a patient and composed man with an understanding of proper behavior. This is quite rare in this day and age. You should be grateful to have him as your retainer.” Strangely, Muramoto’s words sounded more like they were saying ‘you should be grateful to have a retainer’.

“Thank you, uncle.” Kaguya bows once again, before leaving the room.

“Uncle told me that I should acquaintance you with Muramoto Manor.” Kaguya tells you, once you’ve followed her out into the hallway. “Please follow me.”

>Ask her about the circumstances of her bodyguard’s disappearance

>Ask if she knows why you were reassigned to this position

>Try to get to know her

>Just let her tour you

>>4101590
>>Try to get to know her

>>4101590
>>Try to get to know her

>>4101590
>>Try to get to know her

>>4101590
>Try to get to know her

You follow Kaguya through the manor as she guides you through the vertical complex of halls, chambers, and small ornamental gardens. You wonder why she’s giving you this tour, with the map data you recieved, you were now more than capable of navigating what was once a maze for you.

But following behind Kaguya, you can’t help noticing that she’s the most beautiful child you’ve ever seen. Even the children in advertisements and commercials, their features enhanced and cleaned with the best editing programs, couldn’t come close. With her porcelain skin, elegant, long hair, and ornate furisode, she gave off the feeling of having stepped out of an ancient screen painting.

“What grade is Kaguya-sama in?” You ask while Kaguya’s guiding you through an ornamental garden.

“I’m homeschooled, but I would be in grade seven.” Kaguya answers, before continuing her tour. “These centipede lilies were originally a gift from the poet Pseudonyma Nemo during her visit in 2184 …”

“I see.” Of course she would be. You didn’t expect a plutocrat family to let their children mingle with commoners. “What sort of things does Kaguya like?”

“Currently outside of my academic studies, I’m being tutored in calligraphy, traditional dance, archery, and the biwa.”

“That’s very admirable,” You say, “But I was asking about what you did in your free time.”

“Nothing special. I’m just an ordinary girl my age.”

You knew that wasn’t right. Ordinary girls Kaguya’s age spent their time chatting and gossiping, idly playing games in cyberspace, and getting into petty adolescent drama. But you weren’t going to point that out in front of her either.

Kaguya guides you down a long hallway. “This is the hallway to the upper-west wing of the manor, which is where my father’s family and their staff reside. Your belongings have already been moved to your room, at the entrance to my suite.”

You nodded. Muramoto Corporations moved fast. “Your suite, huh?”

“Yes. We’ll be there -” You cut off Kaguya suddenly, pulling her behind you. An unfamiliar figure in a school uniform stepped out of the shadows. She was the most stunning girl you had ever seen in your life, with a boyish, skin almost as pale as Kaguya’s, and lustrous eyes like onyx mirrors. Her exquisite, teardrop face was framed by short locks of hair so black it it almost seemed blue. She carried herself like punk. She also had a passing resemblance to Kaguya.

“Kyune onee-chan!” Kaguya gasps.

“Yo, Kaguya,” The girl’s voice was a smooth contralto, but her manner of speech rough off the street. She stares at you and smiles in an not-altogether-friendly way. “So. You’re Kaguya’s new bodyguard?”

“Y-yes!” Kaguya squeaks. “His name is Seido.”

“So he has a name but no voice?” The girl (Kaguya’s sister?) crosses her arms and lifts an eyebrow.

>Greet her properly and bow your head

>Greet her properly, but you’re not bowing your head to a high schooler no matter who they’re related to

>Answer her in kind

>Chastise her for improper etiquette

>>4102045
>Greet her properly and bow your head

>>4102045
>Greet her properly and bow your head
Even if she talks like a yakuza odds are she's still a Muramoto

>>4102045
>Greet her properly and bow your head

You bow your head. “Greetings, Kyune-sama. I am honored to meet your acquaintance.” Even without her saying so, you have a feeling that Kyune was a member of the Muramoto family. Very few people outside such ultrarich families was that attractive. This was due to the genetic engineering that was so common in plutocratic families. But such genetic engineering went much farther beyond simple cosmetics. Their minds were sharper, their reflexes were quicker, their muscles were stronger and denser, and aging was slowed to a crawl. The physical ability of a healthy, mature member of a plutocratic family more often than not exceeded the capabilities of all but the most augmented individuals.

“So you’re not mute, you’re just polite! Hey Kaguya, you’ll have to remember to give him permission to speak.” Kyune’s still smiling, but it’s less harsh now, more sardonic and humorous. “You don’t need to be so stiff around me, Seido … what’s that, your last name?”

“Correct, Kyune-sama. My full name is Kentaro Seido.”

“Kentaro Seido … Kentaro Seido, huh? So, Kentaro, do you think you’re up for protecting my sister?”

“I will do so to the best of my abilities.” You promise.

“The best of your abilties, huh?” Kyune muses, “Well, let’s hope you’re not just being humble.” Kyune passes you by and walks away.

“Wait, Kyune, you’re not staying?” Kaguya asks.

“Sorry, got shit I gotta handle.” Kyune nonchalantly apologizes, waving her hand in apology without looking back.

…

“Kyune onee-chan isn’t actually my elder sister,” Kaguya explains, “She’s actually my older cousin.” You wonder if that meant that Kyune was Muramoto-sama’s daughter.

>Kyune’s wearing a school uniform. Does that mean she isn’t homeschooled?

>Kyune’s way of speaking doesn’t exactly match what you’d expect from a member of this family.

>Is Kyune Muramoto-sama’s daughter?

>You seem close to her.

>>4102361
>>Is Kyune Muramoto-sama’s daughter? Her way of speaking doesn’t exactly match what you’d expect from a member of this family.

>>4102361
>Kyune’s way of speaking doesn’t exactly match what you’d expect from a member of this family.

>>4102361
>You seem close to her.
Kyune obviously isn't homeschooled, she's in an expensive private school. Judging from her attitude she must be a delinquent or a queen bitch.

>>4102442
+1

>>4102361
>Is Kyune Muramoto-sama’s daughter? Her way of speaking doesn’t exactly match what you’d expect from a member of this family.
>You seem close to her.
>Look up her file while we're talking. Really, we should take a look at all the files as soon as possible.

File: Kaguya's Mother.jpg (70 KB, 681x1174)

70 KB JPG

“Kaguya-sama said that Kyune-sama is your older cousin … Is Kyune-sama Muramoto-sama’s daughter?”

“Yes. Kyune onee-chan is my uncle’s only child.” Kaguya confirms.

“Is that so …” So you were right.

“Is that so?” Kaguya tilts her head quizzically. “Why do you say that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing!” You stammer, “It’s just … Her way of speaking isn’t what you’d expect from a member of this family.”

Kaguya frowns forlornly. She seems to agree with you. “It is quite rough, isn’t it? Kyune onee-chan does it on purpose. I think it’s how she copes with her role as the next head of this family …” Kaguya’s eyes widen in surprise at what she blurted out. “My apologies, Seido-kun. I should not have said that. Please forget what I just said.”

“Understood, Kaguya-sama.” But even though you promised to forget what she said, you ponder the implications of Kaguya’s words. Judging by how he treated his niece, you doubt that Muramoto-sama was the nurturing type. And judging from how Kaguya had spoken of Kyune, she cared deeply for her older cousin.

“It seems that Kaguya-sama is close to Kyune-sama.” You say as the two of you continue walking. While you do so, you search for Kyune’s dossier.

Young Master Muramoto Kyune
Family Member

- Cousin of Suzuki Kaguya
- Daughter of Muramoto Hideyoshi

Notes
- Sometimes visits Lady Kaguya when she is being tutored. You are not to stop her.
- Lady Kaguya often wishes to visit her. You are to ask her if she has finished her homework and practising for her extracurriculars. If she answers no, you are to insist that she do so. If she refuses, you are not to stop her and report this to her governess at the earliest opportunity.

It seemed that Kyune’s dossier was very short … Wait, why was Kaguya’s last name not Muramoto?

“Kyune onee-chan is … very kind. Even if she may not act like it.” Kaguya says.

Kaguya finishes the tour in the Upper-West wing of the Muramoto Manor. It’s a massive space. Just by itself, you were sure it would cost tens of millions of sincreds in real-estate. Kaguya’s suite just by itself was a two-storied affair larger than an high-end townhouse unit in lower slopetown.

“Thank you for being patient and indulging me during my tour.” Kaguya gives a slight bow. “Now please excuse me, but I need to …”

“Still playing around, I see?” An imperious voice calls out from across the room. Standing in a doorway was a handsome woman with a haughty look on her face, dressed in a stunningly expensive-looking dress and even more expensive looking jewelry.At the sight of Kaguya, she begins walking towards you, Kaguya hides behind you, clutching at your suit.

“Mother.” She says in a small, weak voice.

>Block her way

>Let her pass

>>4102704
>Block her way

>>4102704
>Politely greet her in a way that coincidentally blocks her way

>>4102738
This basically

>>4102723
Switching to >>4102738

>>4102738
+1

>>4102704
>>Let her pass

Vote called. Writing.

“I am honored to make your acquaintance, Suzuki-sama. I will be taking responsibility for safeguarding your daughter from this day forward.” Bowing, You step forwards between her and Kaguya.

Kaguya’s mother purses her lips, annoyed by you stepping in between her and her daughter, but she doesn’t push past you either. “Found yourself a new plaything, have you, darling? Well, it’s no matter to me.”

“Rina,” A rich, soft voice calls from out-of sight, “Where are you? Come here, my love.”

“Remember to play nice, darling.” Kaguya’s mother says mockingly, before turning around. “Coming dear~” She cries back alluringly, disappearing.

As soon as her mother is gone, Kaguya stops clinging on to your suit. You watch as her exquisite face, twisted in an expression of fright, grows into a dead-eyed expression, before finally reverting back to her usual reserved blankness.

>Ask if she’s okay

>Lay a hand on her small shoulder

>It is not your place

Busy on sunday. Don’t expect more than one or two updates. But I hope you’re enjoying this so far.

>>4102869
>Lay a hand on her small shoulder
ANNIE ARE YOU OK
ARE YOU OK, ANNIE

>>4102869
>Lay a hand on her small shoulder
Families like this are always fucked up, but right from the start? We're in for a ride guys.

>>4102869
>But I hope you’re enjoying this so far.
p cool, waiting warmly for combat

>>4102869
>>Lay a hand on her small shoulder

You lay your human hand on Kaguya’s small shoulder. You’re surprised by just how delicate it feels. Kaguya is still for a few seconds, as if deciding something, before she gingerly grabs your hand by one of the fingers and gently lifts it off of her shoulder. A soft, but definite, rejection.

“Thank you,” Kaguya earnestly says, a quiver of emotion in her voice, “But … these gestures would be inappropriate in public.”

“Yes, Kaguya-sama.” You retract your hand. It seemed that she did not trust you enough for such blatant displays of concern just yet.

“Now, I must prepare myself for my classes. Please wait here, Seido-kun.”

Kaguya disappears inside her suite, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

Damn, what a fragged family. You wonder what you have been dragged into.

***

While you’re waiting for Kaguya to return, you sift through the dossiers you have in your archive. In total, you had fifty, all on members of Kaguya’s immediate family and their retinue, as well as a handful of persons of importance in Kaguya’s day-to-day activities. Mostly, it’s serving staff which rotates through shifts. It seems that there are ten domestic servants and four armed guards in the upper-west wing at all times, stationed in a cross between a servant’s lounge and a guard station near the entrance of the wing.

Along with the dossiers was a comprehensive schedule of Kaguya’s classes and extracurriculars. You examine it briefly. It seemed that Kaguya was usually busy from nine to four every day except Sunday, the whole of which was labeled ‘free time’.

>You only have a few minutes to read through the dossiers before Kaguya comes back. Pick two to read through.

>>4103070
>Kaguya's Mother Suzuki-sama
If we have it
>Kaguya's former retainer Toshi
If not
>Look up that butler
If he isnt there
>Kaguya's Father

>>4103094
+1

>>4103070
>Kaguya's Mother Suzuki-sama
>Kaguya herself

>busy from nine to four every day
She's just a teen and already has it worse than a working adult. Truly, this is a dystopia.

>>4103070
>>4103094
Support.

>>4100618
why are you writing this in the past tense? it's harder to read and harder to write and doesn't add anything of value

>>4103264
I'm only an amateur writer, I'm not that clear on when to use past and present tense. Maybe it's because a lot of the books I read are written in the past-tense?

I'm always open to suggestions anon.

File: unnamed.jpg (35 KB, 256x512)

35 KB JPG

You decide to read through Kaguya’s mother’s, Suzuki-sama’s, dossier first.

Suzuki ‘Rina’ Ritsuko
Family Member

- Mother of Suzuki Kaguya
- Consort of Muramoto Hideyori

Notes
- If Suzuki-san visits Kaguya, you are to clear the area of any staff and ask any family members to leave. Pay extra attention to Hideyori-sama’s children, Margot and John.
- If Suzuki-san excessively threatens Kaguya’s wellbeing in a physical manner, attempt to restrain her. If doing so incurs the displeasure of Hideyori-sama, you will recieve appropriate compensation if you are in a state capable of doing so.
- Damaging Suzuki-san’s reputation in any way will most likely result in a termination of your position.

You can’t help but find it disgusting how matter-of-fact the dossier was about Suzuki-san’s mistreatment of her daughter. It was basically a guide to avoid as much trouble for anyone other than Kaguya as possible. For some reason, you get the feeling that whoever wrote the dossier was trying to cover their asses. But … what could you do?

Hoping to distract yourself from the bad taste in your mouth, you start reading the next dossier …

Matsuzaki Toshi
Household Security Staff

- Retainer of Suzuki Kaguya
- Missing, presumed dead

Career
- Trained in the Noir-Muramoto Guard-Retainer Academy
- Worked as a Headquarters enforcer in Division 40 for 10 years
- Transferred into household staff in 2195, at his Division Leader’s recomendation
- Assigned to being Kaguya’s retainer in 2203

Notes
- The topic of Toshi tends to make Kaguya upset. It is inadvisable to bring up the topic of either his service or disappearance.

“Seido-kun, I am ready.” Kaguya steps out of her suite, dressed in a traditional archery uniform with her long hair in a high ponytail.

You dismiss the dossier of Toshi from your HUD. “Kaguya-sama will be heading to the Manor Dojo, I presume?”

Kaguya nods. “Indeed, that is correct.”

***

“Kaguya-sama’s archery class will take over an hour,” Kaguya’s archery tutor informs you, “Perhaps bodyguard-san should come back in an hour?”

You look at Kaguya for her orders.

“I’m quite safe in this manor. You’ve been following me around all day, Seido-kun. Please, take a break.” Kaguya tells you.

And so, you’re left outside the archery hall with nothing to do.

Just then, you see Kyune walking down the hallway, also dressed in a hakama. “Eh? You’re just standing in the hallway, Kentaro?”

“Kyune-sama.” You bow in greetings. “I was recently released by Kaguya-sama for the duration of her archery class … is Kyune-sama heading to the archery hall as well?” You ask, remembering Kyune’s dossier mentioning her penchant for interrupting Kaguya’s classes.

Kyune grimaces in disgust. “What? No, I hate archery. Kendo’s always been more my sort of thing … Also, I thought I told you to stop referring to me so frying formally!”

“I see.” Despite your words, you’re still unsure of whether Kyune’s invitation was genuine or just Plutocratic eccentricity.

“You know, even Kaguya’s old bodyguard didn’t stand around all day, waiting for her classes to finish. The Kendo hall’s just next door.” Kyune says, pointing across the hall with her thumb.

>Decline her offer

>Accept her offer

>Actually, you were thinking of getting lunch

>>4104015
>Accept her offer

>>4104015
>Accept her offer

>>4104015
>Accept her offer

>>4103522
The point is to use the same tense when you write about the same point in time, and not switch.
That being said, I find that the present tense is better for quests.

>>4104015
>Accept her offer
We can ask her about Toshi

>>4104015
>>Accept her offer

>>4104015
> Accept her offer

>>4104015
>Accept her offer

>>4104015
>>Actually, you were thinking of getting lunch

I'm fine with either past or present tense, but make sure to stick to one.

“So he did? In that case, I will accept your invitation.” You say graciously. Now that Kyune mentions it, you can already hear the rhythmic clack of bokken clashing with bokken in the distance.

“What’s that? I wasn’t inviting you to anything, Kentaro. If you’re a member of this household, you’ll always be welcome in the kendo hall.”

You follow Kyune across a small courtyard into an extensive two-story-high hall. The inside is scattered with men sparring in pairs and groups with bokken, under the supervision of a balding, bulky man.

“Kyune-san.” At the sight of Kyune, everyone in the room stops and greets her.

“Alright, so I’m back. No reason to stop sparring, is it?” Kyune humphs. “Or were you distracted by Kentaro over here? Hey, you guys better leave him in one piece, alright?”

“You heard the young master!” The balding man roars, “Back to sparring!”

The men in the dojo start sparring again. However, you can still feel the gazes of those curious about who the newcomer is.

“Busy keeping your division sharp, Kasai? Aren’t you eager to get a taste of the newcomer?” Kyune asks, as the balding man strides towards the two of you.
He gives a slight bow in greeting to both of you.

“I’m honored to share the kendo hall with you, Young Master Kyune-sama. If you’re looking for Chiba-sama, he is waiting in the private hall … And you are?”

“Seido Kentaro, sir. I’m Lady Kaguya’s new bodyguard.” You answer.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Kasai, leader of division 8 … Oh, I wish you the best in your bout, Kyune-sama.” He yells after the departing Kyune.

Kyune only waves her hands in response as she vanishes into the back of the hall.

Kasai turns his attention back to you. “So, I take it you’re looking for a sparring partner? Perhaps you’d like to borrow one of my men …”

>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>But you have a few questions first

>>4104742
>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>>4104742
>>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>>4104742
>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>>4104742
>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>>4104742
>>Yes, you want a sparring partner

>>4104742
>Yes, you want a sparring partner

You nod in agreement “That would be appreciated.”

“Yoji-kun, come over here.” A man in a hakama disengages from his fight with two others and walks over.

“Yoji-kun, Seido-kun here is Kaguya-sama’s retainer. He’s looking for someone to spar with.”

“Sir.” Yoji bows in acknowledgement. The two of you grab bokken from the wall. It’s a bit surprising that they are used instead of the safer shinai. But then again, a division of heavily augmented enforcers probably weren’t going to be bothered being hit several times by a mere piece of wood. “So you’re Kaguya-sama’s retainer?”

“That’s right.” You say, shrugging off your jacket.

“I guarded Kaguya-sama while they were looking for a bodyguard for her.” Yoji says, before squaring off against you. Yoji bows. “Takahashi Yoji, Noir-Muramoto school.”

“Kentaro Seido, Noir-Muramoto school.” You bow back in return. The two of you adopt fighting stances.

>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>Strike him before he can strike back

>Test his defence, look for an opening

>>4104987
>Test his defence, look for an opening
Use our precision to our advantage

>>4104997
+ 1

>>4104997
Supporting.

3 rolls of 1d20 please, one success required to pass

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4105090
No DC?

>>4105096
DC is always 10. Depending on the difficulty, you will need more than one success.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4105090

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4105090

After >>4105096 pointed it out, I realized that always having a DC of 10 for combat encounters against people who should be at least as skilled as our MC is really dumb. Thanks anon, reminder that player feedback is very appreciated.

So starting from rolls after this one, I'll be rolling for the combatants as well. A success will be if you match or exceed one of their rolls.

>Test his defence, look for an opening

Both you and Yoji are very reserved in your fighting styles, resulting in an exchange of probing blows without much power or investment in them as the two of you seek to find a weakness in each other’s defences. But you manage to find a hole first, slipping past Yoji’s guard to land a glancing blow on his wrist. With real swords, it would have been nothing, you would have barely scratched his most-likely synthetic skin. But as soon as you make contact, Yoji disengages, conceding the victory.

“You got lucky.” He says to save face, “Again!”

>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>Strike him before he can strike back

>Test his defense, look for an opening

>>4105154
>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>>4105154
>Strike him before he can strike back
Alright, we have a measure of his skill. Time to exploit that.

>>4105154
>Strike him before he can strike back

3 rolls of 1d20 please.

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4105260

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4105260

>>4105271
Crit?? Lol why it's so bad

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>4105260

>>4105305
>>4105310
>>4105312
I feel that the system, as it is now, is biased against us. Not only giving the enemy three rolls, but also requiring two successes against a peer? Either is fine by itself, but having both drives the odds of success down.

>>4105327
Bear in mind, I'm trying to figure out the combat myself. I'm not a very experienced QM.

But if you get one success, you won't lose, you'll both come out even, unless you roll a critical fail Which I just noticed you did, making the rolling I did irrelevant.

A critical failure is an overall failure

You’re surprised by how quickly Yoji adapts. Despite you targeting the weakness you found, Yoji deftly bats away all your attempts to probe at his defenses. It seems that he’s learned more from losing than you have from winning.

Suddenly, instead of parrying your blow as usual, his blade binds with yours for a split second, just long enough to create a small opening. Yoji steps forwards and thrusts his bokken into your stomach. Your body automatically tenses before the impact to protect your vital organs, and you manage to avoid sinking to your knees from the impact. But it was a definite victory on Yoji’s part. If that had been a real blade, you would be … well, not dead, but definitely in need of a visit to the hospital. And the repair shop.

“Please don’t underestimate the enforcers of the Muramoto Household.” Yoji chides you.


>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>Strike him before he can strike back

>Test his defence, look for an opening

>End the bout

>>4105371
>Overwhelm him with powerful blows.

>>4105371
>Overwhelm him with powerful blows
>>4105367
If it was up to me...
No critical failures or successes for d20s (d100s are fine though). One roll for the enemy. Inferior opponents require only one success and zero is a draw, peers require two and one is a draw, superiors require three and two is a draw.

This is only a suggestion, though, and it's your choice in the end.

>>4105371
>>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>>4105403
I'm going to steal some things and reject some things here, but I'll explain why.

>No critical failures or successes
Critical failures or successes aren't as important in real combat as in sparring. Even if you get a critical success against an armoured walker-tank, let's say, you won't be doing a lot if you're using your shirasaya. Critical successes aren't automatically fight-deciding.

>One roll for the enemy, rolls for opponents.
Good shit. If no one objects, I'm stealing that.

I realize that some of you guys are probably a lot more experienced with quests, maybe even running them free opportunity to shill. So I always look carefully at your suggestions. But please be gentle.

But anyways, to get back to the quest.

>Roll 3 1d20's

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4105417
I think anon is concerned about critfails being automatically fight-deciding.
Also, what I don't like about this system is that the roll decides everything. There's no space for the players to improve our chances with clever tactics/preparation/etc..

>>4105437
Actually, I'm giving you a slight modifier depending on which option you choose in a fight. You get a +2 to 'Test his defence, look for an opening'. Depending on his style of fighting, choosing the correct option will also net you another modifier.

Also, what you choose at the beginning changes what your sword does when it hits a target for real.

But you're right, I should be more transparent with what modifiers are in place. I tend more towards fluff than crunch, so I'll be relying on you guy's feedback in that regard.

Rolled 3 (1d20)

>>4105417

>>4105456
I think best way to go about combat system is to steal already established one. And as far I'm concerned best combat system on this board have Forgotten QM from Sworn to Valour Quest.

>>4105477
I didn't know how stealing a combat system would go over for me, or whether people would like it or not, so I went with my own.

That being said, Forgotten is fucking amazing. I've personally been intensely enjoying Sworn to Valour quest.

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>4105483
There's the option of a dice pool.
We have some number of d6 dice and aim to roll above some number. Count the number of successes and go with that.
It would fit in easily since we're counting the number of successes already, and the number of dice we use would be a measure of our level of skill.

>>4105486
I think that works best in a quest with heavy level grinding and a high ceiling for how good the MC gets. But I want this quest's combat to revolve more around using the technology you have around you to respond to each situation.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

Rolling for Yoji

>+2 A precise defense is easily overwhelmed.
>-2 Yoji plays to his strengths of dexterity and precision
>0 successes, narrow failure

Yoji’s defense relies on highly calculated and technical parrying and binding, the same kind of defense you tended towards. But even the best defense could be overwhelmed. You shouthout, swinging your bokken as hard as you can, forcing Yoji into a solid block, sending him back a few steps. Keeping him on the defensive, you rain down a series of blows each more heavy than the last. Yoji is visibly stumbling, footwork forgotten in his desperate efforts to stave off your blows. But then, after your heaviest blow yet, Yoji regains his balance a hair earlier than you expected him to. He swings his bokken forwards in an arc to disembowl you …

But just then, the two of you hear a loud crash as something is sent flying through the screen doors at the end of the hall. Kyune stumbles to her feet amidst the wreckage, using an unsheathed katana as a crutch.

“I thought I taught you to keep yourself in control.” A bemused voice warns from beyond the destroyed screen door. “Now then - Again!”

Instead of a snarky reply like you would expect, Kyune grits her teeth, pulls her katana out of the floor, and returns through the hole her passage made.

>Go see if she’s okay.

>She’s probably okay. Continue your bout.

>Does this kind of thing happen often?

>>4105525
>Does this kind of thing happen often?

>>4105525
>Does this kind of thing happen often?

>>4105525
>>Does this kind of thing happen often?

>>4105525
>Does this kind of thing happen often?

>>4105525
>Does this kind of thing happen often?
>Wait, was that a real sharp katana?

“So does that kind of thing happen often?” You ask.

Yoji shakes his head. “No, it’s been years since I’ve seen Kyune-sama sent flying like that … She must be working herself hard for her bout with her old man.”

“What, is she going to duel her father?” You ask incredulously. “And that was a sharpened katana she was holding.”

“It’s a tradition in the Muramoto family.” Yoji explains, “After they come of age, the oldest son will have a bout with their father with live steel at the end of every few months. Supposedly, it’s to measure growth and to instill a desire to surpass their predecessors while still cultivating respect and restraint. Kyune is an only child, so her father raised her as his son.”

“But it’s not like Plutocrats to let simple things like natural infertility get in their way.” You point out.

“Well, that’s usually the case, isn’t it?” Yoji agrees.

“Wait, Kyune’s mother … is she …?”

“What? No! Kyune’s mother is still with us.” Yoji laughs, “From what I’ve heard, Kyune has a very good relationship with her.

“But Kyune’s still an only child.” You point out.

“They had every option from surrogate mothers to organ-replacement to outright cloning. But for some reason or other, Lord Muramoto chose none of those options. Which leaves us with the Young Master all of us love … Damn, I haven’t seen her thrown like that since she was a kid.”

>You still have more questions about this strange family

>You have questions, but you also have a score to settle with Yoji.

>You doubt your questions will be answered soon. For now, you’ll take it day by day. (Timeskip to the end of Kaguya’s archery lesson)

>>4105587
>You still have more questions about this strange family
"Speaking of relationships do you have any idea what's up with Kaguya-dono and her mother?"

>>4105587
>You have questions, but you also have a score to settle with Yoji.
We still have to beat him.

>>4105587
>You have questions, but you also have a score to settle with Yoji.

>>4105587
>You have questions, but you also have a score to settle with Yoji.
Ask about Toshi.

“Yoji-kun, you’ve worked in the Household for quite some time now, haven’t you?” You ask.

“Bordering on fifteen years, yes.” Yoji agrees, “I think I look young considering that though.” You two share a laugh together.

“So I was wondering … do you know anything about my predecessor?”

“Not much, I’m afraid.” Yoji confesses, “We were never in the same division. The only time I worked with him was on a few joint assignments … but from what I knew of him, he was competent and a hard worker with a strong sense of honor. You should be careful not to mention him in front of Kaguya though. I learned that the hard way.”

“I’ll remember that … But while, while we’re talking about this family we work for, in your time working as Kaguya-sama’s bodyguard, did you notice anything … strange … between her and her mother?”

“Stop there, Kentaro-kun.” Yoji warns you, a solemn look on his face, “Nothing good will come of speaking of that woman … And it was never my place to speak freely of Kaguya-sama’s living condition.”

“I see.” You bow in apology, “I’m sorry for troubling you then.”

“Please don’t misunderstand me.” Yoji says, “I share your concerns about Kaguya-sama’s living condition.”

Exchanging no more words, the two of you square off to fight again. This time, you’ll win, you’re sure.

>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>Strike him before he can strike back

>Test his defense, look for an opening

>>4105642
>>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

>>4105650
+1

>>4105642
>Overwhelm him with powerful blows

Please Roll 3 1d20+2

I'm making you guys do Kentaro's modifiers now.

Rolled 13 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>4105661

Rolled 15 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>4105661

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>4105661

Rolled 16 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

Rolling for Yoji
>+2 for playing to his strengths

>>4105669
>exactly the same as before
Goddamnit.

>Narrow failure

You had almost succeeded in knocking Yoji off-balance the last time, so you begin with a flurry of powerful attacks this time as well. Yoji seems wise to your tactic of overwhelming offense this time. But that was the entire point of an overwhelming offence - It didn’t matter what your opponent did.

Still, Yoji manages to deflect every single one of your blows, even if only by a hair. And eventually, when you’re off-balance from your flurry of attacks, he deals a glancing blow, his sword brushing against your ear. It would barely be cosmetic damage, but it’s enough to decide the bout.

“Kentaro-kun, please stop.” Yoji says before you retreat back to your starting position. “Before we continue, I would like to ask you a question.”

“Go ahead,” You say. If you had a proper body, you’d probably be out of breath by now. Probably sweating as well. Perhaps a lull in the continuous fighting would help you calm your mind.

“Please tell me honestly, Kentaro-kun.” Yoji asks with a serious look on his face, “How dedicated are you to Kaguya.”

>I can’t decide this for a person I only met today

>Well, I am quite fond of her. She has a certain quality to her which demands that.

>How I feel about Kaguya-sama is irrelevant. I must fulfill my duty to her out of professional pride.

This is the last update before I go to sleep.

>>4105681
>How I feel is irrelevant. All that matters is doing my duty, no matter what.

>>4105684
Rejected for being too idealistic for a veteran corporate enforcer. I don't think Kentaro would be that blatant about a devotion to duty, maybe if he was ten years younger and fresh out of the academy.

Feel free to rephrase that in a more cynical way

>>4105684
+1
This is some good shit OP keep it up.

>>4105687
>How I feel is irrelevant. I'm nothing more than a tool, and tools feel no emotion.

>>4105693
>Says Kentaro with a layer of sarcasm thicker than a Kabushiki Kawaii-brand sexdroid's thighs

>>4105681
>>How I feel about Kaguya-sama is irrelevant. I must fulfill my duty to her out of professional pride.

>>4105688
I'm glad you're enjoying this. Perhaps cyberpunk isn't dead after all.

>>4105681
>>I can’t decide this for a person I only met today

>>4105681
>She has a certain quality to her which makes one want to protect her.
>But this is irrelevant. Professionals have standards.

>>4105748
Change to this

>>4105681
>>How I feel about Kaguya-sama is irrelevant. I must fulfill my duty to her out of professional pride.

>>4105681
>>How I feel about Kaguya-sama is irrelevant. I must fulfill my duty to her out of professional pride.

>>4105681
>>I can’t decide this for a person I only met today

>>4105748
+1
Kinda caring but sense of duty

It's been in a constant tie for a while and I already pre-wrote half the update so I'm going to go with >>4105748 since it incorporates the option it's tied with and I like it more.

“Kaguya-sama’s the kind of girl you can’t help but want to protect, isn’t she? … But it doesn’t matter who my client is, I have my professional pride as an enforcer.” You answer Yoji honestly. Truthfully, even though you are already fond of Kaguya, no one could earn your dedication overnight, much less in the span of a few hours. But she was still your client. And you had been trained to serve the interests of your client since you were as old as she was. Even if years of corporate skullduggery everywhere from Noir’s lowest slums to it’s tallest skyscrapers had scrubbed away any ideals of absolute loyalty you had once held, you have never been anything in your life except an Enforcer. Without your claim to professionalism … what would you have then?

It might have not been the answer Yoji was looking for, but it still seemed to satisfy him. “Spoken like a true veteran of the street, eh? Well, our pride is the last thing men like us will throw away, so it’ll have to do. Still … if you claim you have professional pride, then I hope you’re better with a real blade than a wooden one …”

“Careful what you say,” You growl, “I’ll get you eventually ...”

You fight several more bouts with Yoji over the course of the hour. Although he wins more often than not, half of his victories are mere scrapes, where his bokken just manages to brush your extremities. In the end, even though you had to concede that Yoji was the better swordsman (He had been sparring with two other enforcers before sparring with you, hadn’t he?), the skill gap wasn’t so great that he could be sure of victory … or stave off defeat … indefinitely.

“We should do this again.” Yoji suggests after your final bout.

“Agreed.” You say, picking your jacket. You feel delightfully cool. Halfway through your sparring, your body’s coolant systems had started circulating in place of sweating.

“Oh, and before you leave, Kentaro-kun, if you still want to learn about Kaguya’s former bodyguard, I suggest talking to her father’s chief of security. However, I should warn you that he is not a pleasant man.”

“Thank you.” You make a note to check that out. You’d have to find some free time to check that lead.

You make your way back to the archery hall. But once you’re there, you find the door still closed. You can hear the soft twang of a bow being fired from behind it. And you can make out the heat signatures of two figures behind the paper door as well.

>It’s now just over an hour. Enter the archery hall.

>You’re sure Kaguya-sama won’t be long. Wait outside.

>>4106335
>It’s now just over an hour. Enter the archery hall.
Knock first though

>>4106335
What's her schedule / what's after archery?

>>4106335
>>You’re sure Kaguya-sama won’t be long. Wait outside.

>>4106347
History, after a five minute break

>>4106346
+1

>>4106335
>>It’s now just over an hour. Enter the archery hall.

File: ArcheryHall.jpg (71 KB, 736x490)

71 KB JPG

You’re not particularly worried about Kaguya being off-schedule, her schedule had run smoothly for years without you around after all. But it wouldn’t hurt to check on her. You gently rap your knuckles against the door.

“Hold on …” The voice of Kaguya’s tutor says. You hear someone walk over to the door and slide it open. “My apologies, are we late?”

“No, no, don’t let me rush you.” You wave off the archery tutor’s concerns.

“Kaguya-sama will only be a few minutes more … Why don’t you come inside?”

You step inside the archery hall. It was a dark, cool space, with the opposite wall opening up into a sunlit archery range with a handful of targets at the very back. Some of the shots made had been surprisingly accurate. Some others were pitifully off-mark.

Catching sight of you, Kaguya lowers her bow.

“Don’t lose your focus,” Her tutor chides her, “Take your shot … and with proper form this time.”

Kaguya nods in acknowledgement, then turns her attention back to her target. With impeccable form, she nocks and arrow and raises the longbow above her head in a single motion. But at the last second, a tremor in her hand causes her to release the arrow prematurely. It draws a low arc across the range, hitting the ground a few meters short of the target.

“Commendable form,” The tutor approves, “but finish what you start.” Frankly, you were impressed Kaguya could even bring a longbow to a full draw with her stick-thin arms.

The sliding door opens and a maid deposits a tray with a pitcher of barley tea in the hall as well as a small external drive. Wordlessly, Kaguya pours herself a glass and slowly sips at it. Even exhausted and soaked with sweat, every motion she made seems elegant and carefully calculated.

“Will that be all for today?” You ask the tutor.

“Thank you for your patience, bodyguard-san.” The tutor replies respectfully, “Don’t dally too long, Kaguya-sama. Your other tutors are waiting.”

“Thank you, Ya-sama.”

The tutor busies himself in the corner, putting away the archery equipment, leaving you with Kaguya.

“I hope you had a pleasant break, Seido-kun.” Kaguya says, sipping delicately at her barley tea.

“Kaguya-sama is correct. Young Master Kyune-sama invited me to the kendo hall when she saw me in the hallway”.

“That sounds like what Kyune onee-chan would do. And what did you think?”

“The Muramoto household has no lack of skilled swordsmen.” You say with all honesty.

“Kyune onee-chan is particularly skilled. I’ve heard from the guards that the opportunity to watch her is one a swordsman such as yourself should never pass up on … but sparring must have made you thirsty, Seido-kun. Would you like a glass of barley tea?”

>Kaguya-sama is too gracious. Besides, you’re not thirsty. (Maintain formality)

>Accept the drink. It’s a generous offer. (Attempt to establish familiarity)

Also

>Compliment Kaguya’s archery skills

>Ask about Kyune’s bout with her father

>Tell her you sparred with Yoji

>>4106624
>Accept the drink. It’s a generous offer. (Attempt to establish familiarity)
>Ask about Kyune’s bout with her father

>>4106624
>>Kaguya-sama is too gracious. Besides, you’re not thirsty. (Maintain formality)
>Compliment Kaguya’s archery skills

>>4106624
>Accept the drink. It’s a generous offer. (Attempt to establish familiarity)
>Compliment Kaguya’s archery skills
>Tell her you sparred with Yoji

>>4106624
>Accept the drink. It’s a generous offer. (Attempt to establish familiarity)

>Ask about Kyune’s bout with her father
Complimenting Kaguya will seem disingenuous

>>4106686
+1

“A glass would be appreciated.” You say. Kaguya nods and pours you a glass. Even if the gesture was a small one, you could appreciate the generosity behind her offering her servant anything. Or perhaps it was just that Kaguya was innocent of the meaning behind these gestures. For a brief time, the two of you are quiet, silently appreciating the light and nutty taste of the barley tea. You hold yourself back from downing the whole glass in one gulp. The coolness of the drink and it’s smoothness as it trickled down your throat made it very tempting.

“May I ask you a question, Kaguya-sama?”

“You may. If I can answer it, I will.” Kaguya grants your request.

“In the kendo hall, I learned of the upcoming bout Kyune-sama is going to have with her father.”

“And this piqued your curiousity?” Kaguya seems a bit surprised at your boldness, asking your master questions simply to satisfy your curiosity, but she doesn’t seem particularly averse to the idea.

“My sparring partner said that Kyune-sama was working particularly hard for her upcoming bout. I realized that perhaps Kaguya-sama is familiar enough with Kyune-sama to provide deeper insight.”

Kaguya gives a small smile at the mention of Kyune’s name. “Whoever your sparring partner was, he’s quite right. Kyune is quite determined to defeat her father this time … But now it’s time I got going …”

Getting up, Kaguya reaches for the back of her neck, peeling open a small flap of synthskin to reveal a datajack in the nape of her neck. Withdrawing a long cord, she plugs it into the external drive and begins walking.

“Kaguya-sama, what’s that for?” You ask. It was rare for Plutocrat children to have datajacks, or anything but the most minimal forms of augmention.

“Oh, I’m reviewing information I need for my classes today.” Kaguya explains.

You follow Kaguya back to her suite where she cleans up and prepares for the rest of the day’s classes, changing out of her hakama and into a more functional yukata. Not long after, her tutor arrives outside her suite and they relocate to a common room for their lessons. Again, you’re free for a few hours … this time two.

>Visit the governess

>Visit the upper-west wing chief of security

>Grab lunch. There’s a servant’s lounge here somewhere.

>Stay. The lesson sounds interesting.

I’m sorry updates are so infrequent today. It’s been busy

>>4106847
>Grab lunch. There’s a servant’s lounge here somewhere.
Constant maintenance

>>4106847
>Grab lunch. There’s a servant’s lounge here somewhere.

>>4106847
>Grab lunch. There’s a servant’s lounge here somewhere.
We need to review Kaguya's schedule in general and plan the time for our meals, training, aug maintenance and other things.

>>4106889
This. A well planned schedule is professional and precise. Just like us.

>Stay. The lesson sounds interesting

By now, you were starting to feel hungry. Sure, most of your digestive system had been replaced with synthetic tubing, but your stomach was just as much flesh-and-blood as it had been and now it was churning. Since you were free for two hours, you decide to grab lunch … there had to be a servant’s lounge somewhere around here, right? The Upper-west wing was too large not to have one. You query your map data and sure enough, a yellow-outlined path shows up in your HUD. You follow it down a flight of stairs, taking you two levels down to a modest, but well-kept lounge. Here and there were house staff scattered about, sitting at couches or low tables. In the corner is a series of vending machines set into the wall, stocked with everything from cold drinks to snacks to pre-packaged meals. Adjoining the lounge is an even more modest kitchen, housing a communal fridge as well as a menu of meals that could be sent from the manor’s kitchen.

>Buy a meal from the vending machine

>Scrounge up something you can heat up from the fridge

>Request the kitchen staff bring you a meal

>>4106991
>Request the kitchen staff bring you a meal
We got a promotion so let's splurge and celebrate.

>>4106991
>Scrounge up something you can heat up from the fridge

>>4106991
>buy a meal from the vending machine.

>>4106994
+1
Does the vending machine need money? Do we have any money on us?

>>4106991
>>Scrounge up something you can heat up from the fridge

>>4107048
Your ID card serves as a debit card.

>>4106991
>>Request the kitchen staff bring you a meal

>>4106991
>Buy a meal from the vending machine

You decide to request a meal from the kitchen. You might as well take advantage of your promotion. Looking at the menu, you see that everything on it was rather basic, food that was easily quickly prepared in large quantities. But this was the Muramoto Manor’s kitchen. If anything, the ingredients themselves probably were of a decent quality. Now, what would you order? Selecting from what was available today, you order a dish of steamed chicken, eggplant, and pickled vegetables.

You find a comfortable spot in the lounge and sit down. Now that you had a moment of freedom, you could review Kaguya’s schedule and plan yours around it. Her day was filled with classes with only short breaks in between them, except from after more strenuous classes like archery and dance, where she was given a longer break to clean up. She usually ate lunch in the early afternoon. Looking at her schedule, you wonder why Kaguya even needed a retainer. You were just going to spend the day waiting for her classes to finish. It wasn’t as if the security in the manor was lacking either.

Musing, you notice something strange in Kaguya’s schedule. At the end of the week, there was an event labelled ‘Afternoon Tea, Lady Muramoto.’ You wonder what that means, but before you can sift your dossiers for a ‘Lady Muramoto’, a maid carrying a bento box enters the room and walks over to your table.

“Seido-san, you’re lunch - gah!” She trips, sending your lunch lurching out her hands.

>Catch it (Requires a roll)

>Let it fall

>>4107958
>Catch it (Requires a roll)
SUPER NINJA SPEED

>>4107958
>Catch it (Requires a roll)

>>4107958
>Catch it (Requires a roll)

Please roll 3 1d20's. DC is 10, you will need one success to succeed.

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>4108009
Watch this

>>4108012
fuck

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>4108009

Rolled 1 (1d20)

>>4108009

>>4108023
Well shit, we do crit fails here?

File: D2iKYi7W0AIi8Hh.jpg (89 KB, 996x1024)

89 KB JPG

>>4108023
We are the worst fucking cyborg bodyguard ever seen.

>>4108023
>>4108025
>>4108028
Maybe we catch the food but end up falling on top of the maid or something

>>4108028
To be fair, you successfully dueled another cyborg samurai who was previously practicing against two other cyborg samurai on equal footing.

You rise out of your seat in an attempt to catch the falling bento, but in your rush, one of your legs gets caught in your chair causing it to fall over, taking you with it. You fall face first onto the ground.

“Are you okay? I’m so sorry!” The maid responsible apologizes profusely.

You rise to your feet, with rice still in your hair.

>Watch where you’re going, woman!

>I’m fine, you don’t need to worry about me.

>Ha! It’ll take more than that to keep me down.

>... Damn, that meal looked delicious.

>>4108101
>... Damn, that meal looked delicious.
Probably luxurious for a cyberpunk society's standards

>>4108101
>>Ha! It’ll take more than that to keep me down.
Damn cyborg ninjas pulling peoples legs!

>>4108105
Meals like that aren't too uncommon if you're in the middle class.

>>4108101
>... Damn, that meal looked delicious.

>>4108101
>Ha! It’ll take more than that to keep me down.
>... Damn, that meal looked delicious.

>>4108101
>...Damn, that meal looked delicious, if you may pls prepare me another bento. I have to wash up real quick i'll be back for the bento.
Let's wash up first don't want to look bad and then we'll comeback for the bento, sounds good guys? +we do got a 2 hour break we'll have time for a quick wash.

“Damn, that meal looked delicious.” You sigh. As someone who had lived off pre-packaged meals most of your life, fresh meals with real food were a luxury, reserved for special occasions like celebrating promotions. Although you admit you weren’t counting the slop in the Headquarters cafeteria and the hole-in-the-walls down streetside.

“I-I’ll get you another one right away!” the maid stammers, bowing, then rushing off. You sigh, then walk off to find a washroom to clean yourself up.
…

“I’m sorry about earlier.” The maid apologizes again when she brings you your meal again … without spilling it this time.

“Well, accidents happen now and then. It’s nothing to be ashamed about.” You reassure her nonchalantly. You pick up a piece of steamed chicken, dip it in ginger scallion sauce, and lift it to your waiting mouth. Hmm … not bad. The chicken was a bit dry and bland, but the sauce made up for that … wait, why was the maid still standing next to you?

“Please don’t report this to my manager.” She begs. Now that you look at her, you realize that she’s quite young, around sixteen or seventeen years old.

>Don’t worry, I won’t

>Don’t waste any more of my time

>Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal

>*Sigh* What’s your name? (Do your best to reassure her)

>>4108409
>>Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal

>>4108409
>Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal.
>What's your name?

>>4108409
>Don’t worry, I won’t
>Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal

>>4108409
>Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal

“Why are you so worried? It wasn’t a big deal.” You ask the Maid.

“I’m sorry,” She apologies, “It’s just that my manager’s threatening to fire me if I ever mess up and … please don’t tell my manager. I need this job!” At this point, the poor girl is nearly on the verge of tears.

“I doubt your manager’s going to fire you over tripping,” You scoff, “What, do you have a habit of dropping meals you’re carrying?”

“No!”

“Then why’re you so worried?”

At that question, the Maid clams up. You notice that a bunch of people were staring at the two of you and your animated conversation.

“I … better get going.” The Maid says, turning around to leave. “I have other meals to deliver.”

You let her go without further comment. Whoever he was, her manager sounded like a real hardass … or maybe just an ass. Well, it isn’t your problem. People who can’t at least deal with mere hardasses by themselves will have a hard time in life.

You finish your meal without further incident. It was delicious. You could get used to eating fresh food every day …

…

When you return to Kaguya-sama, you find her eating lunch as well out of an ornate bento. You could smell the light fragrance of her lunch from where you were.

“Seido-kun, there’s a grain of rice in your hair.” Kaguya comments upon seeing you.

“Ah, is there? That’s not good.” You comb your hair with your fingers, finding the offending grain.

>You’ve still got a long day ahead of you. (Follow Kaguya through the rest of her day)

>But it will be over soon. (Timeskip to the end of the day)

>>4108450
>But it will be over soon. (Timeskip to the end of the day)

>>4108450
>But it will be over soon. (Timeskip to the end of the day)

>>4108450
>But it will be over soon. (Timeskip to the end of the day)

You spend the rest of the day accompanying Kaguya through the rest of the classes. For most of the day, Kaguya stays in the common room just outside her suite while her tutors come to her. After her classes are done, Kaguya takes a walk through some of the gardens to stretch out her legs. You accompany her. Altogether, the rest of the day is completely uneventful. It definitely beat raiding counterfeiter workshops, chasing down embezzlers, and the corporate skullduggery you were used to.

At the end of the day, Kaguya retires to her suite, leaving you free to explore your quarters. You find you have four rooms all to yourself: A bedroom, a living room, a small walk-in closet, and a well-appointed washroom. You even had a small window, a luxury in a manor so large that the vast majority of it’s rooms were too deep inside to have one. And yours even overlooked a gorgeous view of Noir, from which you could see the monolithic pyramid of the Muramoto Headquarters rising above the forest of skyscrapers.All your belongings had already been moved. You find clothes you had left strewn about around your apartment neatly pressed and folded inside your drawers. They had even moved what little furniture you owned in … And thank God too!

You pull open a drawer in your dresser, to where you kept your stash ...

>A bottle of straight bourbon. You can’t help yourself but have a drink at the end of every workday.

>A packet of cigarettes. You can’t help yourself but have a smoke at the end of every workday.

>An assortment of different narcotics. You’ve been hooked since you were introduced five years ago.

>A box stuffed with external drives containing your collection of … pleasure simulations.

>>4108490
>A secret collection of silly retro anime

>>4108490
>A packet of cigarettes. You can’t help yourself but have a smoke at the end of every workday.
>...No. You've been kicking the habit, and you can't afford to slide back now.