Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 914, Section 124: Jealousy

After being reminded by Ma Xi, Carl realized that he wasn't there to chat with his friends today, but had serious business to attend to.

He came to talk to Arasaka on behalf of Dogtown, so how come they started chatting again so soon after he arrived? He clearly intended to have a serious talk from the start, but he relaxed as soon as he arrived.

"That's true. After I finish talking, I still need to go back to the city to talk to other people as well. Let's finish as soon as possible."

As he spoke, Karl remembered something, glanced at the tea on Haruko's table, and then looked at Chiyome: "Chiyome, could I have a cup of tea too? I'm a little thirsty after my journey."

Chiyo nodded slightly, instinctively reaching out to pour tea for Karl, but she froze the moment she moved, then, as if realizing something, she secretly glanced at Haruko.

Haruko didn't look at her at that moment. Haruko's gaze fell on the documents in Maki's hand, then shifted to Maki's face, paused for a second, and then looked away without saying anything.

Finding that Haruko-san didn't seem to notice her movements, Chiyome felt a sense of relief for some reason, and then proceeded with her actions naturally, as if the slight pause she had experienced earlier had never happened.

She not only poured Karl a cup of tea, but also refilled the cup that Mashi had already finished drinking.

"Well, actually I don't really like drinking tea that much." Maki hesitated for a moment, but still accepted Chiyome's kindness.

She looked at Karl, who was sipping his tea, and asked, "How does it taste? Karl, do you like tea?"

“I’m fine, don’t mistake me for someone else.” Karl smiled. “You think it’s tasteless and you can’t get used to it, but I drink it all the time.” As he spoke, he took a sip of tea, and his face relaxed. “Indeed, I still can’t get used to matcha. This kind of tea suits my taste better.”

Carl recalled the matcha that Haruko had made before, and the taste was simply unforgettable.

He already thought matcha was bitter enough, and Haruko's tea powder ratio that time was extremely inappropriate. When he drank it, the intense bitterness filled his entire mouth.

Haruko noticed Karl glancing in her direction as he sipped his tea, and inexplicably, she could read what Karl was thinking from his eyes.

She glared at Karl with slight annoyance, but didn't say anything more.

She is self-aware, but her skills are not the same as before.

The reason she was bad at crafts and desserts before was because she didn't need to do them in the past, and no one needed to make her do them. So she only learned the tea ceremony according to etiquette, but didn't learn any tea-related skills, let alone desserts.

In the strictly hierarchical Arasaka mansion, Saburo Arasaka would never allow Haruko to get involved in such 'common tasks' as making sweets.

This is not out of concern, but out of an obsession with the family's dignity—how can the noble Arasaka bloodline be engaged in the work of servants?
Although Haruko's paternal bloodline was always a thorn in Saburo Arasaka's side, she was ultimately the eldest son's bloodline. In the eyes of the obsessive Saburo Arasaka, making her do those things was tantamount to defiling the Arasaka family's honor.

Western-style desserts go without saying, but even Japanese tea snacks were completely superfluous in the eyes of Saburo Arasaka, who didn't care much about food.

These trivial matters were naturally regarded as the duties of servants.

In the Arasaka family, the term "servants" refers to ninjas who are directly subordinate to the family.

Ordinary employees of Arasaka Company are not qualified to be called servants; they have to fight for the job of being a dog.

They are selected and trained to be perfect tools, and their duties go far beyond personal protection. To ensure that core members can enjoy top-notch and reassuring daily services in any dangerous situation, they must be proficient in a variety of skills.

For example, brewing tea is one of these skills.

"The tea brewed by Chiyo is the best I've had since coming to Night City. I think besides the good tea leaves, it must also be due to your skill in making it." Faced with this sincere praise, Chiyo simply lowered her eyes and nodded slightly in response. Then, like a quiet shadow, she retreated behind Haruko again and remained silent.

The words, "The best drink I've had since coming to Night City," clearly reached Haruko's ears, undoubtedly confirming the unspoken thoughts she had just gleaned from Karl's eyes.

Her gaze involuntarily swept over the teacup in Karl's hand again, and a trace of resentment made her unconsciously bite her lower lip until her soft lips were deeply sunken.

Haruko felt her mind becoming increasingly chaotic lately, or rather, whenever she faced Karl, a strange obsession would quietly grow within her—she wanted to do everything perfectly and be better than everyone else.

Whenever someone does something better than her, or makes Carl happy in conversation, an indescribable ripple spreads across her heart, like a plucked string producing an unbalanced tremor, which takes a moment to return to silence.

Haruko isn't someone who doesn't understand anything; it's precisely because she understands the reasons behind her current thoughts and emotions that she feels something might be wrong.

'If I showed this kind of persistence, wouldn't Karl feel like I wasn't like Haruko anymore?'

Karl is that Karl, and Haruko should also be that Haruko.

but
Haruko lowered her eyes, trying to focus on the documents in her hands, but when she looked at Mashi and Karl, who were negotiating on behalf of Arasaka and Dogtown respectively, she couldn't let go of her obsession.

He even subconsciously felt jealous of Maki and Chiyome.

However, it's hard not to feel jealous.

Because I really like it.

No one is jealous because they dislike someone.

It is precisely because I like it so much and can't let it go that I become jealous of everything and find it hard to let go.

But
That's not the right time yet.

It shouldn't be revealed.

Haruko forced herself to focus on the documents in front of her, but her emotions became slightly volatile as she reviewed them.

Or rather, it was a bit too harsh.

While Haruko was reviewing the documents, Karl and Mashi were having a very smooth conversation.

Even disregarding their friendship, both sides have cooperated to some extent in the past, just considering Dogtown and Arasaka.

While Arasaka and Dogtown might not be exactly familiar with each other, Arasaka certainly knows Dogtown inside and out. After all, Arasaka's espionage skills are no joke. He understands exactly what kind of negotiations Dogtown can accept and where Dogtown's limits lie.

Even if a new king were in power, things would be pretty much the same, since there are only so many routes for arms trade.

In this situation, Maki, representing Arasaka, offered Dogtown a good price.

(End of this chapter)