Chapter 108: Business Philosophy

[Please return to the cabin as soon as possible. If the magic protection is breached, you will die as well.]

Nyx gave this reminder.

The mass of moon rabbits, retreating like a swarm of locusts, was due to sensing the threat of the solar storm. Clara dared not delay, and quickly slipped back into the bus’s airlock chamber.

“Whew.”

The airlock door had just closed behind Clara when Fran and Lucia hurried over to check on her. After making sure she was unscathed, they hugged her tightly, expressing their relief.

“Senpai, you scared me to death!”

“I’m fine, really… but… it’s only temporary,” Clara said, turning to look out the window where a fierce wind raged. It was like a sandstorm—nothing could be seen, not even the bus roof that had been visible before.

“How long until we arrive? This is just the prelude; the real storm is still coming.”

“Maintaining maximum speed. Estimated arrival at destination in five minutes.”

Even BB-0027 sounded tense, its words growing curt.

Let’s hope nothing else happens.

But usually, when you think that, something goes wrong.

With a sudden clang and clatter, the lunar bus began to lose altitude and speed.

“Ah—hey, what’s going on now?”

One thing after another—Clara couldn’t help but raise her voice.

BB-0027 answered, “My apologies. The anti-gravity system is operating under extreme load, and the high-energy particle flow is reducing output efficiency.”

Ogata Daruma quipped, “Is this the best Artemis Corporation’s latest model can do?”

“Please understand, civilian buses are not designed to operate in high-energy particle environments.”

BB-0027 tried to calm the passengers, adding, “We have contacted the destination station via quantum communication and sent a distress signal.”

It was Ogata Daruma’s insistence on traveling in the morning before the solar storm hit, so no one could really blame the AI driver…

Fortunately, good news soon arrived.

“The destination has responded. They will dispatch a shuttle to pick us up after the storm weakens. This vehicle can keep everyone alive for a short time during the solar storm.”

Everyone in the bus received the resort station’s reply.

Squinting through the window in the direction of the resort, suddenly the glass went pitch black.

“The external camera has been destroyed by the solar storm. Sensors are malfunctioning, and we have lost direction.”

The other side’s window was also blacked out, plunging the cabin into darkness.

Next came violent shaking.

“Waaah!?”

Clara lost her balance and fell into Fran, pushing both of them to the floor.

“Sorry… Fran…”

BB-0027 gave another update.

“Warning. The bus has suffered power loss beyond critical threshold. Maintaining altitude is no longer possible. An emergency landing is in progress. Please wait patiently for rescue from the station.”

After the shaking came a severe jolt. Clara had barely propped herself up before falling back onto Fran, so she simply lay atop Fran, shielding her until everything came to a halt.

The bus was sturdy enough; at least there was no loss of air pressure.

D

“The bus will now enter survival mode. Before all functions are lost, the bus will continue to provide you with food and water until station rescue arrives.”

The resort was so close, and yet the lunar bus had broken down right at the entrance.

What rotten luck.

The resort staff couldn’t brave the solar storm to come rescue them—they’d have to wait for the peak winds to subside before any chance of help.

The bus had lost all power, its sensors dead and unable to assess the situation outside, and repairs were hopeless. Even BB-0027 was powerless now.

Still, the cabin’s armor was thick enough to withstand the barrage of charged particles for the time being.

“Sigh, just a little more and we would have made it.”

Clara sighed. Lucia asked, “Daruma-neesan, what do we do now? We can’t possibly film tomorrow’s show in this bus, right?”

“Actually, it’s not impossible. In fact, this could be a great experience.”

Eh? A good thing?

“Yes. If we can turn crisis into opportunity, maybe it’ll give the next week’s show a great start.”

Ogata Daruma had a different outlook.

She adjusted her glasses, flashing an excited, fiery smile.

Clara had only ever seen that look on overly enthusiastic insurance or real estate salespeople.

“Everyone! An accident like this is a naturally occurring script! Real, tense, and thrilling—fans and viewers love this stuff. Even though the drone was destroyed by the solar storm, we got the footage beforehand. With some editing, it’ll boost Miss Clara’s popularity—do you get what I mean?”

Clara sat on the floor and looked at her.

Is this the ability to see opportunity in crisis?

“Miss Daruma, let me interrupt your daydreaming for a moment.”

She felt the need to remind her, “We’re still in danger here. Every one of us could die, you know? This cabin won’t hold out forever. It’s not safe to stay here.”

Yet, Ogata Daruma said, “Then just die! As long as it’s dramatic enough, what’s wrong with dying once?”

“Huh?”

“In the end, cohabitation variety shows are all about authenticity. But there’s nothing interesting about a hero’s ordinary day, right? It’s when something happens on the road that you get discussion, hype, and trending topics.”

Ogata Daruma smiled at the Dream Witch trio, then went on to explain, “Do you understand? Even if all of us perish and return to the Abyss, the process itself is still part of the show!”

A profit-driven mindset—a belief in the supremacy of popularity.

Is this how a professional hero agency manager thinks?

Never mind the four Sigma series members; even the rest of the Sigma Heroes’ staff weren’t surprised by this attitude.

But for the Dream Witch team, it was hard to accept.

They’d only come to film a show—why should death even be on the table? Who could accept that?

They hadn’t even escaped yet, and she was already thinking of exploiting the situation for clicks and attention.

“Miss Daruma, forgive my asking,” Fran cut in, frowning, arms wrapped around Clara as they sat together on the floor.

“Are these your own ideas, or is this what Mr. S wants?”

Ogata Daruma thought for a moment, her earlier fervor cooling a little.

“They’re mine, but they’re also the Sigma Hero Company’s philosophy.”

She sighed.

“To be precise, this is how you survive in the hero industry… Dream Witch team, as a fledgling company you might not understand yet, but you will, in time.”

A lecture in the tone of a senior in the field?

Fran scratched her head, fished a lollipop out of her lab coat pocket, tore open the wrapper with her teeth, and stuffed it into her mouth, puffing out one cheek.

She asked, “So, to you, the Sigma series are just tools for profit?”

“They’re partners in making money.” Ogata Daruma didn’t hesitate at all.

“But they’re heroes, you know?”

“And can’t righteous heroes earn money? I don’t think there’s any rule against that, is there?”

살

“…Yeah, whatever.”

Every company had its own philosophy, huh?

But in the end, the Dream Witch team weren’t exactly a proper hero agency—they were moles from an evil organization.

So, Fran, holding Clara, didn’t plan to pursue the topic further.

Ogata Daruma had no intention of arguing with Fran either; looking at them, she was reminded of herself when she’d just started working…

When she still looked up to the title of “hero”.

Ideals alone won’t keep you alive. Even if it’s to better uphold justice, heroes need to change—to become a little more pragmatic…

Otherwise, you’ll drown clutching nothing but empty dreams.