Chapter 30: Three People, Three Perspectives

"Ah, I see it! So that's your hometown, Nibelheim, Cloud-senpai!"

"It's just the countryside. There's nothing special about it other than the Mako Reactor."

"I always had this image of you being a city boy, but I bet you were just as handsome back when you lived in the sticks... The girls couldn't have left you alone, right? Did you have a girlfriend back then?"

"I was a terrible talker and socially awkward, so I couldn't fit into any circles of friends at all. I did have a female childhood friend, but we only spoke a little bit right before I left the village. As for a girlfriend, not even a shadow of one."

"Wow, that childhood friend of yours really has no eye for men. You're so good-looking and reliable, Cloud-senpai! And to top it off, you managed to score such a cute girlfriend in the city."

Beside me, piloting the chopper, Elena spotted my hometown of Nibelheim through her binoculars. When she asked about my time there, I answered honestly, only for her to add unnecessary commentary and tease me.

Before I knew it, a rumor had spread throughout Shinra that Elena was my girlfriend. It seems the incident from the other day had gotten around. Apparently, it was my fan club spreading the rumors, a fact Elena went out of her way to tell me.

I retorted by asking if she was a member too, but it turns out even Lady Scarlett is in it. In fact, among the corporate fan club's hierarchy, her name is near the very top. Why was I completely unaware of this? Actually, shouldn't they normally ask the person in question for permission to start something like that?

"Who says you're my girlfriend? Seriously, do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused me?"

"Huh, did I cause you trouble? If anything, haven't I done you a favor? Thanks to me, the number of girls throwing love letters and coming on to you has dropped, hasn't it?"

"Ugh, w-well, that's just the end result..."

"Besides, you treat me to meals when it's just the two of us off the clock, and we're always together during work. We're practically dating anyway, right?"

I wanted to say she was wrong, but thinking back on it, I felt like I couldn't strongly deny it either. I had once explained to Lady Scarlett that the rumors of Elena being my girlfriend were a misunderstanding, but at the time, she just laughed.

"What's the problem? You know Elena is a hard worker and a good girl. Or do you have some kind of complaint?"

"No, we're just colleagues. And bringing romance into the workplace in the first place..."

"There's no rule against office romance. If it causes the company any losses, I will punish and thoroughly discipline both of you. But knowing you, Cloud, I doubt there's any need to worry about that."

Maybe it's because I've worked under Lady Scarlett for so long, but being talked down by women has become somewhat of a daily routine. Even now, I feel like my younger subordinate is walking all over me.

"Anyway, do you see anything through the binoculars?"

"Nothing at all. No signs of monsters rampaging, no sudden shifts in the terrain. Well, I'm just taking a rough look from the sky, so we won't know the details until we actually head into the mountains."

There is a high probability that remnants of Avalanche are gathering at the Nibelheim Mako Reactor. And the entity drawing them together is known as Jenova. Lady Scarlett has deemed it unnecessary—an entity that will bring danger to our future.

"But why does our Experimental Unit have to go in first? It would be so much easier if we just mobilized the SOLDIER Division."

"SOLDIERs are implanted with Jenova cells. If they carelessly approach Jenova right now, there's a chance they could be manipulated. Us heading to the Mako Reactor is the most efficient course of action."

With the SOLDIER Division out of the picture, the choice for a team capable of fighting with a small number of people came down to either the Experimental Unit or the Turks. We were deemed the most suited for the job.

"Besides, the moment we breach the area, the Public Security Division will begin evacuating the villagers. We're leaving the command of that operation to the Turks."

With SOLDIER unavailable, handling a mass evacuation with just Turks personnel would be overwhelming. That's why Director Heidegger proposed dispatching the Public Security squad I had previously commanded.

"For now, once we reach the village, we'll talk to the local guide who reported seeing suspicious shadows in the mountains. Then, we head for the Mako Reactor."

"Understood. Are you not going to drop by your family home, Cloud-senpai?"

"No. We're on a mission."

"Liar. You'll definitely have enough time to drop by, and Scarlett explicitly told you to show your face at home at least once."

Vincent, who had maintained his silence up until now, finally chimed in with unneeded input. It was true that I could probably afford to visit my childhood home while carrying out the mission.

"Oh! So you can go properly see your mother! I'll come say hello, too."

"No need. What do you mean 'say hello' anyway? If you were my boss, maybe, but there's no reason for a subordinate to give greetings."

"Yes, there is! I want to thank her and say I'm always in your care."

Introducing Elena to my mother would absolutely lead to a massive headache. The last time I introduced Lady Scarlett, I suffered endless embarrassment. That time was manageable because it was just introducing my boss, but if I introduce Elena, my mom will undeniably assume she's my girlfriend. And I already know the two of them will leave me behind and start chatting away.

"The childhood friend you mentioned earlier is our guide for this mission, right? You'll be in the village for a little while anyway. You should at least go see her," Vincent said.

"I didn't hear about this! Are you cheating on me when you already have someone like me?!" Elena exclaimed.

"It's not cheating. We aren't even dating in the first place."

"So, do you like this childhood friend of yours?"

"Tifa is just an old childhood friend. That's all."

Come to think of it, I had been so caught up in the busyness of work that I hadn't kept in touch with Tifa at all. I didn't have the chance to see her the last time I was here, either. She had purely supported my decision to go to Midgar, and maybe it was cold of me not to send even a single letter.

And if I hypothetically introduced Elena to Tifa now, I was absolutely certain Elena would be obnoxiously loud.

"Hey, are you dissatisfied with me as a girlfriend, Cloud-senpai? I know I'm saying this about myself, but I think I'm pretty cute."

"I'll admit you're cute, but..."

"Kyaa! You're so honest, Cloud-senpai!"

Elena happily clung to my arm. Her face is cute, and her personality isn't bad either... but her lack of personal space and constant physical affection is distracting. I wanted to tell her to stop pressing her chest against me, but would saying that be considered sexual harassment? I looked to Vincent for help, but he just smirked and said nothing.

"Please stop, I'm trying to pilot!"

"It's fine, I trust your piloting skills!"

"I don't mind you two flirting, but please refrain from crashing the chopper," Vincent added.

When it comes to work, I absolutely trust Elena, and there's no denying she's a cute subordinate. But really, why is she so attached to me?

"The reason Elena has become so affectionate is because of you, Cloud. Honestly, if you interact with girls her age by imitating the bad habits of that woman, that's what happens."

I was assigned to the Experimental Unit of the Advanced Weaponry Division, and my first major mission had finally been decided.

Up until now, I had been through hellish training and various assignments—quelling riots, and occasionally exterminating monsters that had been driven feral by Mako. But this upcoming Jenova subjugation was different. If we lose, it's genuinely game over.

With the Experimental Unit serving as the core of this operation, a failure would jeopardize our place in the company. But more than anything, my senpai's hometown would be in grave danger.

I owe Cloud-senpai so much. The fact that I'm able to work at Shinra right now, that I could escape that suffocating school life, and that I could wipe away the complex I had regarding my sister and the Turks—it's all thanks to him.

In preparation for this mission, I had to write a will. In the Turks, it's originally a mandatory requirement to write a will to your family in case you lose your life on a mission. The condolence money paid to the bereaved family when an employee dies is proof that the company acknowledges the hazards of the job.

I had never written a will before. Because I had no intention of dying, I thought there was no need to write one. But now, it was different.

I was writing this will so that I could return alive.

When I get back, I'm going to throw this will away. And I'll turn it all into a laughing matter—even all of my feelings for him.

"Lady Scarlett! I've prepared my will, so I'm leaving it in your hands!"

"Very well. Though taking this feels somewhat grim, make sure no one sees what's written inside."

"Of course! I promise I'll come back safe and sound with Cloud-senpai and Vincent-senpai!"

Director Scarlett is a good person, too. She's the one who scouted Cloud-senpai, and then Cloud-senpai scouted me. She looks out for a former student like me and holds high expectations for me.

"When you return, let's have everyone in the Advanced Weaponry Division throw a grand celebration."

"Yes, absolutely!"

"The day has finally come. The day we eliminate Jenova, the beginning of it all."

"I've been making preparations all this time, but I never expected them to make a move on their end. It was completely my mistake. I let my guard down."

Scarlett muttered this with a sigh, sinking into the luxurious chair in her private office. Following a long meeting, I handed my exhausted employer a cup of coffee.

"Ara, how unusual. To think you'd show concern for me. Was catering to your boss part of the job in the Turks?"

"I used to make coffee for Lucrecia often after she pulled all-nighters, too. Though it was just instant coffee dissolved in hot water."

I ended up working under this woman as a form of penance, and before I knew it, several years had passed. Yet, compared to the days I spent shut away in that coffin, these days have been incredibly fulfilling.

I reunited with a former colleague and met a capable younger subordinate who, surprisingly, looks up to a man like me. I traveled to various regions, just as I did during my time in the Turks, but through it all, I gained a true sense of being alive.

It seems that interacting with others truly does bring about change in a person.

"Do not let it weigh on you too much. You have a habit of shouldering too much on your own. I do not know what you envision for the future, but there is no need to bear it all by yourself."

Scarlett's eyes widened at my words. Then, with a slightly troubled smile, she sat back in her chair. This time, she crossed her legs and leaned her weight against the backrest. Her posture exuded an aura more fitting of a queen than a corporate director, but this confident demeanor suited her best.

"Hee~. the handsome man is kind to a good woman, isn't he?"

"Hmph. It is far better than watching you agonize and confess your sins right in front of me... At the very least, I am grateful to you for dragging me out of that coffin."

Come to think of it, the influence Cloud has on those around him is staggering. I feel as though the massive organization known as Shinra is slowly changing, with one young man at its center. While he garners attention for his youthful talent and the results he produces, the one who picked up that talent was the woman sitting before me.

There are people in this world overflowing with talent at a young age, people who leave undeniable results. They never neglect their efforts, constantly harboring the ambition to aim higher, all while possessing a charisma that draws people in.

It is easy to focus solely on Cloud, but the woman before me was barely more than a girl when I first worked here. Though they are separated by an age gap akin to parent and child or older sister and little brother, in a way, they might just be two people passing the baton of their generations to one another.

"Talking about all this before the final battle is what they call 'raising a death flag.' It's terrible luck."

"Say what you want. The ones doing the work are the people on the field. You can just sit in that chair and wait for our report."

Leaving her with those words, I turned my back to Scarlett and moved to exit the room. Just then, her voice called out from behind me.

I looked back to see that her exhausted expression from moments ago was gone, replaced by her usual confident gaze.

"If you truly feel indebted to me, then make absolutely sure you come back alive. Once this is all over, I'll grant you a long vacation to go search for Lucrecia."

"Wow, so this is where you grew up, huh?"

"It's just a quiet village with nothing in it. Other than the Mako Reactor and the Shinra Manor, there's really nothing to see."

"That's not true! Look, that water tower over there is a pretty stylish spot, isn't it?"

To think I'd be returning to my hometown on a mission. You really never know what life has in store for you.

"For now, we need to gather information from the Shinra employees stationed at the Shinra Manor—"

"I will handle that on my end. We don't need three people just to ask questions," Vincent interrupted.

"Are you sure?"

"You go talk to this village guide. Once I'm finished, I will meet you at your family's home."

"Wow, Vincent-senpai, you're so considerate!"

As Elena playfully teased him, Vincent walked off toward the Shinra Manor without another word. He used to live in the Manor, and since we looked around the village a bit the last time we were here, he already knows where my house is.

"Alright then, let's breeze through the interview with the guide and take a break at your house, Cloud-senpai! Where does the guide live?"

"Right near my place. It's not a very big village, so it's only a few minutes' walk from here."

"Aww, man. That means our date is going to end right away."

"What date? Focus on the job."

"Yes, yes, I know."

Honestly, she's so full of it. But I know her capabilities, and when it's time to work, she can flip the switch instantly. This ability to release tension in a good way—her role as the mood maker—is Elena's best trait.

"The mission... I'm trusting you."

She had stuck with me through the harshest training, always chasing after me as I kept running forward. They say that teaching someone else ultimately benefits you as well, and thanks to Elena, I've been able to gain confidence in myself.

The one who pulled me up was undeniably Lady Scarlett, but the one who pushed my back and kept me running might actually have been Elena.

"Ah! You're acting sweet for once!"

"Let's hurry up and get to Tifa. Once we reach my house, I'll at least serve you some tea until Vincent arrives."