Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 20 20: Don’t Let Her Know

Night.

Karen had already left. She had said everything she needed to say, and her request to Charon and Liliweiss was clear:

Confirm whether the elevator leading directly to the relay station was still operational. If it was, the next phase would be to reach the relay station and retrieve what they needed.

Charon sat alone inside an abandoned building, quietly gazing at the beautiful night sky through a hole blasted open in the ceiling long ago.

For once, he had ti to think.

If he had to summarize his situation since arriving in this world with a single phrase–

He had simply been drifting with the current.

He did have an ultimate goal, but with almost no clues and no ti limit, that goal might as well not exist.

Back when he first woke up in Zone Zero with nothing, he had been forced into the so-called "search, fight, extract" lifestyle. At that ti, he was nothing more than a pitiful man pushed forward by reality, fighting just to survive.

And now?

Yes, he had gained a bit of freedom, but had he found his purpose?

No.

Nothing had changed.

He was still drifting, naturally accepting his identity and acting around it.

Was that really what he wanted?

Maybe if soone had asked him that question when he first arrived, he would have fallen into doubt, wondering whether everything he did was just being guided by so unseen force.

But now, things were different.

He wanted Liliweiss to live.

Even though they had only known each other for a short ti, she had already beco his companion. And because of that, he had no reason to ignore her situation.

Besides, Karen's request didn't really conflict with their current mission.

If there really was a way to extend Liliweiss's life–

He would do it.

So he made another call.

Karen's words alone weren't enough. Especially when it ca to Liliweiss, he needed confirmation from soone more trustworthy.

Soone directly involved in the Nikke Project–

Rose.

[Sorry, the number you dialed is currently busy. Please try again later…]

…?

Still busy after all this ti??

He waited five minutes and tried again.

Still busy.

"…Damn. Guess I have to go back."

When he returned to the dorm, the light inside told him that Liliweiss was still awake.

That made him feel a bit guilty.

Especially now, after hearing what might, or might not, be true about her condition.

He needed to confirm it as soon as possible.

As he stepped inside, he heard the sound of running water.

The bathroom door was tightly shut, the frosted glass properly opaque.

Liliweiss was taking a bath.

…Wait. A bath?

He quickly shut the door behind him, then realized–

Damn, I should've closed it from outside!

But then another thought hit him–

If she was bathing, why was Rose's call still busy?

"Commander?"

The sound of water stopped"

Liliweiss's voice ca from inside.

"Ah… yeah…"

"I–I'll be out soon… so please… don't look this way…"

Even through the frosted glass, the light was enough to outline her figure.

Just thinking about it made her face burn.

A mont later, Charon heard the sound of water again, she had gotten into the bathtub.

"Uh, I just ca back to check sothing, I'll leave right away," Charon said, scanning the room for her phone.

Then–

[Commander, can you hear ?]

Rose's voice ca from Liliweiss's bed.

"Rose?" Charon walked over. "What are you doing, on a call this whole ti?"

[Sis–uh, Liliweiss forgot to hang up… Anyway, just put the phone outside the bathroom, I wanna hear–]

Click.

Charon instantly turned off speaker mode.

"Commander? What did Rose say?" Liliweiss asked from inside.

"Nothing. I need to talk to her."

And with that, Charon grabbed the phone and bolted out of the room.

Out in the hallway, he checked behind him before speaking:

"Rose, you there?"

[I am.]

[Commander, her body's pretty nice, isn't it? Want to try touching–]

"Cut it out," Charon interrupted, his tone turning serious.

"I need to ask sothing important."

He explained everything–

Liliweiss's condition.

The relay station.

Karen's claims.

After listening, Rose fell silent for a few seconds.

[Commander… who told you this?]

Her voice was unusually grave.

[That's top-level classified. Even among Nikke developers, very few know.]

"So it's true?" Charon asked, frowning.

[Yes.]

[Since you already know, I won't hide it.]

[Liliweiss has reached an unimaginable level of power output… but that power cos at a cost.]

[Every ti she fights, NIMPH accelerates her cellular tabolism to extre levels.]

[In simple terms, every use of her power speeds up her aging.]

[Until she eventually burns herself out.]

[That's why the governnt and the three corporations had to cooperate with VTC.]

[A new generation of Nikkes is already being designed.]

[The project is called,"Nikke Project: Fairy Tale Model."]

[I'm sorry, Commander… I wanted to tell you earlier, but I didn't know how…]

"I understand."

There was a pause.

Then–

[But please…]

[Do not let Liliweiss know.]

[Do not let her know that you already know.]

"…Alright."