Cyberpunk: 2075

"ah?"

This was Karl's first reaction after hearing Haruko's proposal.

Personal bodyguard?

Wait a moment.

The brain has to understand the meaning of the word first.

Guard means to protect the person, and personal means to be close, close, and follow around. The combined meaning is...

Follow the protection staff around you.

Got it.

"I refuse."

Without hesitation, Karl refused neatly after analyzing the meaning of the word.

And this performance made the hot and sharp gaze from behind that Carl felt become more and more intense, but Haruko Arasaka in front of him showed an expression that was not surprising.

"Sure enough, you will refuse."

Arasaka Haruko showed an expression that was either regretful or understanding: "You are just like Mr. Kenichi Shiro said, an eagle that is difficult to restrain and difficult to stay."

"Did Mr. Kenichi Shiro say that to me again?"

Karl looked back at Kenichi Shiro and found that he had turned his head, as if he had noticed that his eyes had been averted a step ahead.

"But if you say it's an eagle, it's not a particularly difficult description."

Karl felt that there was something wrong with this description: "There were many falconers in the past."

"It's called a hawk, right? I've seen relevant training."

Haruko didn't know why, but the topic was naturally led astray by Karl. Just when she was feeling a little happy and was about to discuss eagle-related matters with Karl, Kenichi Shiro, who had been paying attention here, coughed from the other side of the door. .

"Ahem."

This coughing sound was like some kind of reminder, bringing Haruko back to her thoughts from the diverted topic.

"I'm sorry."

After restraining the inappropriately happy expression on her face, Haruko regained her gentle expression.

He made a second suggestion to Karl: "So, Karl, are you willing to accept my funding? As a cooperative mercenary, help me handle some family affairs involving the company at critical moments."

It's so fair and aboveboard, just talking about the internal affairs of the company. ::.No, for Haruko Arasaka, matters within the company may really be family matters.

"Subsidy, what kind of term is it?"

Karl was somewhat interested in this suggestion, but he didn't know what form it would take.

And Haruko Arasaka, who obviously had a plan for this, just reported a person's name and made Karl understand.

"Morgan's Blackhand."

"I see."

The legend among legends, the King of Mercenaries, Morgan Blackhand, is known to everyone in the industry. Although he is a famous lone wolf mercenary, he also receives funding from military technology. In some key tasks, he often becomes a military mercenary. The winner of technology, such as the Arasaka Tower nuclear explosion that broke the camel's back during the Fourth Corporate War, was Morgan's black hand.

[The Fourth Corporate War]: It originated from the competition between CINO and OTEC, two offshore oil development giants, to acquire the third company IHA. It was followed by the participation of Military Technology and Arasaka Corporation in the global war.

It ended with the nuclear explosion of Arasaka Tower in Night City, confirming the tragic victory of military technology.

[Arasaka Tower Nuclear Explosion Incident]: An event marked by the nuclear explosion of Arasaka Tower, the only remaining stronghold of Arasaka in the United States, by a tactical team led by military technology. It is rumored that there are legendary lone wolf Morgan Blackhand, Shaitano, legendary middleman Rogge, and legendary Rock boy Johnny Silverhand, legendary hacker Spider Murphy and others, with the support of military technology,

Involved in it, although this incident was prevented by security personnel headed by Adam Hammer on the Arasaka side, it ended with a successful nuclear explosion and the victory of military technology.

Recalling the incident that happened on August 20, 2023, California time, Carl understood what Haruko meant.

"You want me to be a pawn at a critical moment?"

"That's it."

There is no cover-up, no cover-up, just aboveboard, that's what Haruko said.

"Working for Arasaka?"

"No, it's for me."

Haruko corrected Karl's words.

"It's for me, for me, Haruko Arasaka."

After a moment of silence, Karl spoke:

“What kind of funding can I get?”

"As long as you want, I can get you all the latest Arasaka equipment you want."

"Who could be the possible target?"

"Military Technology, Kang Tao, Night Company, Biotechnology, it could be any company, of course, including Arasaka...my family."

Haruko chuckled: "I can't do it either, let's target the ordinary people on the street."

"reason?"

After Carl asked this question, he heard the footsteps of Kenichi Shiro behind him, as if this question had triggered something and Carl could not be allowed to ask any more.

But before Kenichi Shiro came over, Haruko had already answered without hesitation:

"Because I don't like either eagles or chickens."

Eagle, chick...

Feeling the footsteps that had stopped behind him, Karl asked, "Are you a pigeon?"

Pigeon is the name of Haruko Arasaka's mother, Michiko Arasaka's faction within Arasaka. Most of the people in the faction are the subordinates of Michiko Arasaka inherited from her father, Kei Arasaka, in the United States. Their political demands within Arasaka are to reform the company in depth and integrate the United States with peaceful means.

"I am not."

It was still the same words without any hesitation.

"I am not any bird."

Haruko said.

"I am Haruko, Haruko Arasaka."

Does the political demand belong only to oneself?

Disobeying Saburo Arasaka, not agreeing with Arasaka Nobuo, and even not wanting to follow the path of her mother Michiko Arasaka.

This attitude.

It is worthy of being a member of the Arasaka family.

"I now realize that you are indeed surnamed Arasaka."

"That is why I can have such awareness."

Haruko likes her name and surname very much.

"That's why I have the awareness to change the world by myself."

It's because of this position that I can do this, and it's because of this thought that I can have this awareness.

"What do you want to do?"

Carl's attitude towards this girl with star-like eyes is serious.

"I want to become the master of Arasaka first."

Ambition that has never been concealed.

Why.

Why.

Just because you don't even have enough protection personnel when facing assassination?

Because you need to recruit me, a street mercenary?

Why.

Why....

Carl knows why.

Just because of this surname.

It's because of this surname that I can be determined to do certain things, and it's because of this surname that I can make up my mind to do certain things.

Carl thought of a deed of Arasaka Nobuyuki. He once left Arasaka and established his own organization, wanting to overthrow his family's absolute rule in Japan.

Are all the people of the Arasaka family so rebellious and ambitious?

A chick imprisoned in a cage cannot fly, a pigeon can push the cage open and fly, and an eagle soars in the sky.

Above the sky is a sunny day.

The child born on a sunny day is called Haruko.

Carl understood Haruko's ambition.

But he had one last question.

"Why, choose to believe me."

For this question.

There was nothing to hesitate about, and there was nothing to hesitate about.

Haruko just said something that Carl was very familiar with and had said before.

"Countless cherry blossom petals have fallen and withered on the cherry tree, but this one petal happened to float into the arms of someone who saved her."

But...

"He happened to be here."