A ball slowly rolled across the metal platform. The child, trying to lunge after the ball he had dropped, caught his mother off guard, forcing her to release his hand. They were on the eighth floor of a shopping mall, painted with luxury and wealth, featuring golden walls. The child ran after the ball as it rolled along the floor.
The mother called out to the father. The father, interrupting his conversation with the mall's robot assistant, shouted after his son: "Where are you going, son? Come back here quickly!"
"Are you just going to shout?" his wife snapped.
"Fine! You deal with the robot then," he said, dropping his card into his wife's arms and running after his son. Shopping malls were the safest places for Neokaplan citizens. This was because it was a shared space with the Capital City's people. They benefited greatly from the Capital's security facilities. In fact, the wealthiest of Neokaplan even rented out some rooms in this mall and used them as homes.
The father, whose wealth was evident from the black scarf around his neck, slowly ran after his son. The child noticed his rolling ball hit a wall and then drop through the railings. He immediately pressed himself against the glass and looked down. The father ran up to the child, picked him up, and looked down as well. "It must have fallen down to the -14th floor, son. We can't go after that ball." The father then looked over the railings, searching for the ball. It was in the hand of a man on the floor below. The man had reflexively reached out his arm and somehow managed to catch the ball. It was probably luck.
The child, held in his father's arms, pointed at the railings and indicated the ball. His father, excited to retrieve the ball, was already heading down the stairs. He wanted to thank the man who saved the ball, as he had stopped both his wife's nagging and his son's tears before they could even start. When the stairs ended, he turned and walked along the railing until he finally saw the people who had caught the ball.
The woman was leaning heavily against the railings, puffing on the pipe in her hand. Her black hair was voluminous and fell over her shoulder down to her waist. She wore a fur draped over her shoulders and black eyeliner accentuating her black eyes. She was wearing a white dress with golden sequins. The golden parts of her dress were faintly shimmering. Up to this point, everything about the woman was normal. But the woman's cybernetic arm... That arm was too chilling for a delicate woman to possess. The woman took another puff from her pipe and exhaled, despite the thousands of signs indicating that tobacco consumption was forbidden here.
The person holding the ball was a young man. He was wearing a green suit. His back was turned, and he was playing with the ball in his hand while looking down over the railings. The father slowly walked towards the duo. He normally wouldn't expect such crude figures in this elite shopping mall.
"Why don't you put that damn ball down already?" the woman said.
"Uh..." the Father stammered. "...that ball is actually ours."
"Yes... It's mine," said the child, clutching the father's hand.
"Is that so?" The man extended the ball towards the child. As soon as the child saw the man's face, he hid behind his father. The man's face was distorted. His nose, lips, and eyes seemed to be mashed together, resembling a monster's face. The father, taking the ball with a trembling hand, hurried away without looking back.
"See?" I said, exasperated. "How many times have I told you we can't properly adjust this mask on my face?" I reached for the holographic mask on my face and tried to adjust it. As I fiddled with the mask's synthetic structure, the image distorted, and my face took on different forms. At one point, my nose was on my head, my lips on my nape, and my hair on my chin. I struggled until I brought it back to a somewhat normal shape.
Madam Belladona slowly approached me. "You wear the mask so they don't know you're a Weisshafen. Not to look handsome..."
"Of course... Everyone treats a person with an ear where their nose should be as normal."
"No one here is a real threat," she said, pointing to one of the cameras attached to the ceiling. "If you are a cybernetic, these cameras can see even the circuits inside you. A cybernetic cannot even breathe comfortably here. And no one can enter here with a weapon."
"I know all this..." I said, finally bringing the mask back to a somewhat ordinary state. At least it was an 8-bit, face-like object. "...How many times have we done this? 10? 12? I'm just wondering why we haven't fixed this damn mask."
Madam Belladona ignored me. She leaned against the railings, watching below. "They're here," she said.
On the floor below us, a clean-shaven man in a black suit, like an officer, was standing. This man's black suit was made of metal, not fabric.
"He's wearing a mech suit, huh?" I chuckled. "Are there really any of those left?"
"I heard he has disputes with people from the Dragno family."
"As someone from the Shang family?"
"Don't forget, the Shang family is one of the four great families..."
"As the fourth, yes... The number four is deceptive. The Shang family's fortune is barely one-tenth of the Dragno family's."
"But power is a different thing. Especially on the planet Jolkien..."
"What do you mean?"
"Only the Shang family trades outside the capital. Even if it's not profitable, they do it. Why? Because they want to hold onto some power. Yes, the other families might be richer across the galaxy, but the Shang family is more influential on this planet. They are a family that maintains good relations with politicians, officials, and many others..."
"Politicians? What's the point of holding onto them? One day Damon Weisshafen gets angry and declares them both traitors and executes them. Not to mention the Dragno family... They are quite problematic about these matters. They consider politicians infidels due to their religious beliefs and politics. They seem to be programmed to devour politicians raw whenever they see them."
"Well, how many politicians have died on this planet so far?"
"22."
"And how many politicians are there?"
"How should I know?"
"2,800... Most of them serve as presidents and play an active role in politics."
"As if the president would change... The president of this planet since its founding has been J. Molm Karedna."
"Of course, the president won't change. The president is a true puppet of the Dragno and Weisshafen families..."
"So... Doesn't what you're saying support my theory? Why would anyone bother with politicians?"
"Because..." Belladona smiled. "...if even the president is a puppet and causes no trouble for the families, then other politicians can't cause trouble for the families either. The families who know this don't even care about the politicians' decisions. But politicians can make political decisions in the assembly. The Shang is a family that gains small, continuous profits by holding onto politicians. They profit by exploiting the Dragno and Weisshafen families' excessive confidence in politicians, and they also learn the families' secrets from the politicians. Of course, I keep saying politicians... there are also officials, doctors, lawyers, and many others..."
"I had never thought of it that way."
"Because you are a Weisshafen..." Belladona said, glancing at me. "...It's quite normal for you not to think that way."
"So when do I go?"
"You're going now. What we're taking to him is a hologram cassette," she said, extending the bag hanging over her shoulder towards me. "Shang established a unit to hold onto all the politicians. This unit performs psychological and sociological analysis of the politicians and presents it to the Shang Family. It is a unit the Shang family insisted on establishing to prevent artificial crises." Then she pointed to the bag. "This hologram cassette contains data about the prostitutes some politicians in the Capital hang out with in Neokaplan. How they treat the women, how they address them, and many other things... This data is critically important for deriving the personality analyses of the politicians, understand?"
I reached for the cassette in Belladona's hand and slipped it into my jacket pocket. "I understand perfectly. Is there anything else you need to tell me?"
"You will meet on the terrace floor. So, it would be best if you got into the elevator now. You have about 50 floors to go up. Remember, I will be watching you through the mask. Everything you say and hear will be recorded by me. Don't turn off the communication device either... Keep your ear on me..."
"Understood," I said, walking towards the elevator.
"Don't let it be like last time... Don't act without me saying anything... Wait for me, even if it's for my own good."
As the elevator slowly climbed to the 50th floor, a conversation I had with a scientist named Ukar came to mind.
"Why did she keep me alive?" I had asked, extending my arm onto the table. Ukar, the bald man wearing a mask and standing by the surgical instruments on the table, was a university academic working for Belladona, though his education was not yet complete. He continued to assist Belladona to earn money.
"Belladona must value you?" After aligning the veins in my arm, he sprayed a coolant liquid. Thanks to the coolant, the veins looked like they were glued in place. Then he took an electronic, mechanical part that resembled a bottle cap but constantly vibrated. He was going to attach that mechanical part to my wrist.
"I realize that. But I have no idea why she kept me alive."
"Because..." Ukar said, as he stitched my skin after implanting the metal mechanical part. "...you are a Weisshafen. It's clear from your questions that you don't know much about the underworld. Becoming a cybernetic is quite cheap. Being a high-quality cybernetic is quite expensive. But do you know what the most expensive thing is?"
"What?"
Ukar adjusted his glasses and looked into my eyes. "Being a high-quality enhanced. Because no one spends much money to become an enhanced. The parts are quite rare. Thanks to Damon Weisshafen, he doesn't easily allow anyone in his family besides himself to become a cybernetic. Perhaps it's due to his love for the Hyperion ship and his chair. That's why Weisshafen are forced to be expensive enhanceds."
"What does 'expensive enhanced' mean?"
"Your body was quite resistant to electricity," Ukar said, standing up. "But now, with the device I put on your wrist, you will be able to transmit the electricity circulating in your body through your hand. For example, this was an addition that would cost billions for most enhanceds to be able to do. I just attached a small metal apparatus to you."
"Very interesting..." I said, looking at my hand.
"You are resistant to poisonous gases... Your body directly filters strong alcohols. That's why you can only get drunk by drinking light alcohols for a long time. You have a certain degree of resistance to cold, hunger, heat, and impact. While not as resistant as a cybernetic, you definitely have superhuman abilities."
"Is that why Belladona kept me alive?"
"Look, young man..." Ukar said, going to the chair to prepare his bag. At that moment, his green assistant, Hulk, climbed onto the table and began collecting the surgical instruments. "...In the underworld, cybernetics don't speak during trades. The trading families send their enhanceds as their representatives. They find this more reliable. You... You were chosen to be Belladona's spokesperson. That's why Belladona kept you alive."
As raindrops fell consecutively on the terrace glass, I slowly walked towards the tables by the edge of the terrace. That day, as always, there was a celebratory atmosphere in Neokaplan. This time, the space football finals were going to be held in this city. Because of this, I could see colorful fireworks exploding like ink stains being squirted into the city's cloudless sky.
The wealthy who wanted to watch the show more clearly crowded the rooftop balcony with binoculars in their hands. There were hologram shows, advertising balloons, and many other things among the fireworks in the sky, and to make all of them more visible, the rooftop lights were turned off; only the digital candles on the tables were lit.
I knew where my table was. Business was always discussed at the furthest corner, facing the garbage ocean. It was the quietest spot, the one no one would choose because of the smell.
"Excuse me," I said, gently pushing aside the man blocking the doorway to the tables. The rich brat initially looked like he would object and come at me, but after seeing my face, he flinched, grabbed his wife by the shoulder, and cleared the way for me.
Cybernetics, recording images with the lenses in their eyes, were video calling their friends and relatives, letting them watch the scene. Neokaplan was a city closed off to outsiders. Since nothing that happened here was planned, Capital City tourists loved it.
As I pushed a few more people aside, I accidentally bumped into a young girl. The drink in her hand spilled onto the floor. One of the young lady's bodyguards grabbed my shoulder. He was a hefty cybernetic. He had a curly mustache and a bald head.
"It's alright," the young lady said, wiping the juice spilled on her with the back of her hand. Another one of her bodyguards handed her a napkin.
"But Madam."
"I said it's alright! You can let go of the man."
The hefty man spat near my feet as he let me go. "Thank you, young lady," I said.
"Thank you, sir," she said. It was then that I could finally see the young girl's face. After seeing her face, my hairs stood on end. The signal of this emotional shift must have gone to Belladona, because:
"Hey Aldo? What's going on there?" she shouted into my earpiece. "Why did you freeze?"
The girl had blue eyes, and her blonde hair was pulled back with a scarf. With her small nose and the gap in her front teeth, she could be described as cute. This girl was Inze, one of my sisters. She was wearing a black dress befitting an old noble family.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" the young lady asked.
"I apologize, young lady," I said, bowing. "I hope I didn't hurt you."
"Absolutely not..." She must have noticed my strange face, as a slight sign of revulsion appeared on her expression.
"Then I wish you a good evening, young lady," I said, and slowly started walking towards the corner table.
"What was that?" Belladona asked.
"My sister, Inze... What is a Weisshafen doing here? Especially one from the lower rank, like Inze... This isn't normal." I could see the corner table. One of Shang's men was sitting at the table, waiting. Since he was an enhanced, he was busy eating the hamburger in front of him. I looked behind me. Inze was watching outside with great astonishment. Our eyes met... I looked away. I hadn't seen her for so long that looking at her reminded me of my old happy days. The mischief we got into with my brothers, the nights I lay in my mother's lap, and most importantly, it reminded me of Isolde.
Inze was the only person in my family who knew about Isolde and our escape plan... She even helped me prepare my clothes when I was biting my nails with excitement on the last day. Perhaps she was thinking that I was currently living a fugitive life with Isolde, that we had successfully escaped. She might be imagining we were living a happy life on a vacation planet and was jealous of us. Unaware of the pain her brother and Isolde had gone through.
"Do you have any idea why Inze is here, Belladona?" I asked, but the only answer I got was silence.
"Aldo, you must be the one..." my contact said, forcefully swallowing the bite of hamburger he had taken. "...Please sit." He wiped his hand on a napkin and extended it. As I shook his hand, my eyes were still on the young lady behind me.
"Aldo, focus on the job!" Belladona yelled.
"Yes... So you realized she's a Weisshafen too. You can't take your eyes off her, can you? Ah... It's every man's dream to marry a Weisshafen and save his life."
"Do you know what she's doing here?" I asked the man.
"Don't ask your contact strange questions, Aldo!" Belladona interrupted. "Handle your business first."
"I assume you don't watch the news much," my contact said, leaning back slightly in his chair. He pointed a finger at one of the cleaning robots. The robot came, collected the unfinished hamburger and other scraps, and dropped them into the trash bin in its belly. "Didn't you hear about the attempted coup in the Weisshafen family? Because of this, preparations began for an investigation that would lead to the execution of suspicious family members. Most Weisshafen's fled before the investigation started. This young lady is one of them..."
"What do you mean?" I said with a slight laugh. "You're pulling my leg, right?"
"I don't understand why you're laughing," my contact said, somewhat angered.
"I'm not laughing. I'm just... I'm just surprised. Attempting a coup against Damon Weisshafen? That's not very likely."
"The powerful individuals within the family..."
"The powerful ones in the Weisshafen family? This time you almost made me laugh out loud." The man seemed to get angrier with every sentence I spoke. I had to turn off my earpiece to avoid hearing Belladona screaming at me. "This isn't a precaution against a coup."
"What is it then?"
"Damon Weisshafen is up to something again," I said, looking at the young girl. "...Maybe he wants to get rid of the family members he deems a cost. Perhaps, like before, all he wants is to eliminate the money owners to redistribute the money within the family. I don't know... But a coup, that's genuinely funny."
"Don't let the Weisshafen hear you say that. You act like you're not afraid of the Weisshafen's, but you should be." The man said, looking into my eyes.
"You're right," I said, scratching my head. I tried to form a sincere smile despite the disgusting mask on my face. "...I must be watching too many movies. Please, let's get back to business. Do you have the money?"
The man took the chip out of his pocket and placed it on the table. I took the chip and inserted it into a diskette I pulled from my own pocket. The amount looked correct. Then I handed the bag to the man. The man reached into the bag and examined the diskette for a while. He took out a glass object from his pocket and placed it over his eye. He used a laser beam from a pen in his hand to navigate over the hologram diskette for a while. As he moved over the diskette, the data was also moving in the glass over his eye.
The man stood up with a sincere smile, put the items in his pocket, and extended his hand. "Please extend our thanks to the Silent Queen... It was a very pleasant trade."
"We should thank the Shang family. It was a pleasure doing business with you."
As the man quickly left the terrace, I slowly stood up. I adjusted my table and looked at my sister Inze one last time before leaving. I pressed my earpiece: "The trade is complete, Belladona," I said.
"Thank God, Aldo! If you ever do something like that again, I'll personally..."
"Belladona," I cut her off. "I sincerely apologize for interrupting you, but can I ask you something?"
"You can ask, Aldo," the surprised woman said.
"Inze... I don't know why my father sees her as a threat. It's certain she doesn't have her eyes on my father's throne. She neither makes money for the family nor loses it. Do you know something?"
I could hear Belladona swallow. "There are some rumors in the Capital."
"What kind of rumors?"
"About a Dragno and a Weisshafen running away."
"You mean, my rumor?"
"Yes... After this rumor surfaced, the family opened an investigation for everyone who had relations with outsiders. Just to silence the media and the other families, he's planning to slaughter half the family. Inze is a young woman. She is also the favorite of many men. She is polite, beautiful, and has many other qualities..."
"But she doesn't believe in romance and love. She is my sister, I know her quite well."
"You can't convince the media that Inze doesn't have secret lovers. Nor the other families..."
"Inze is not a very dangerous person in our family. She doesn't deal much with trade or other things. She's not my biological sister, but I love her as much as one. I would stake my life on her trustworthiness."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"If you agree, let's take her with us."
"Why would I agree to that? That would draw unwanted attention..."
"If you take Inze, I will become your loyal slave," I interrupted her once again. "I will do everything you say in a single go." I leaned lightly on the railing. "You can use me in any way you want, from a sex slave to a mine worker."
"I could use you that way now if I wanted to."
"But if you include Inze in the team, this time you will have earned my consent, and I will do everything you say with great enthusiasm."
There was silence for a moment. Then: "Fine... Talk to Inze, bring her to me. Let's have a little job interview."
"You are wonderful, Silent Queen," I said. "Sometimes I'm proud to work with you."
"Bury your emotions and just do as I tell you."
"Yes, Madam."
I started walking, touching the railing. As the fireworks exploded one after another: "Inze!" I shouted, raising my hand. The bodyguards were not very happy to see me again. My sister was quite surprised. I reached for my face, about to take off the mask slightly and show my face, and thus my years of solitude could finally end. I could talk and hug someone from my past.
But at that moment, I heard a whistle. I glanced at one of the advertising zeppelins in the distance. Smoke was pouring out of the zeppelin's window. That smoke was heading toward our building like a falling comet. When the bodyguards saw the plasma missile heading towards them, they tried to jump over Inze. I, meanwhile, had let go of the railings and was just about to run towards Inze when there was a huge "Bang!"
Everything was on fire. People were running around screaming. The electronic mask on my face began to burn, and I had to rip it off and throw it aside to save my face from being burned. With my clothes and many other things torn to shreds, I reached into my chest pocket. The chip was still there. It hadn't been damaged at all. But... what chip! That wasn't what I should have been thinking about! My knees had sunk into the collapsing ceiling. I reached out and pulled my knees out of the collapse, scraping the skin off my leg on the concrete. I walked slowly, dragging my leg behind me, towards the area where the bomb had exploded.
My sister lay buried beneath the shattered remains of her guards. The plasma missile was a weapon of extreme heat. Even without direct contact in the blast zone, touching anything it had touched could burn you alive. But a hope… a desperate hope remained that my sister might still be alive. As I lifted the guards one by one and threw them aside, I found Inze there. Her entire body was burned. All that remained before me were skins barely clinging to a charcoal-black skeleton. And those skins were still burning.
In agony, my tears evaporated by the searing heat, I began to scream.
"May you stare into the very depths of hell!" I could feel my throat tearing raw from the fury. I struck my own chest with a savage blow. "You will writhe in unimaginable torment! This... I swear on my very soul!" As I hammered my fists against my knees, security guards tried to pull my arms back. "I will not let death claim you... until you have tasted the purest agony a soul can bear!" Even as the security guards began forcibly dragging me away, my vow hung in the air, a promise etched in fire and pain.