Re:life with Karmic Gacha (Modern Family)-Chapter 353: Orchestra.

I sighed and said, "Go do your hair first. That will take a while. You can wear one of my handmade pieces if you'd like."

Excited, she squealed and ran to the hairdresser android—who she believed was a human—and allowed herself to be pampered.

Last year, I received several craftsmanship-related awards, including [Dwarven Craftsmanship Skills], [Dwarven Craftsmanship Talent], and [Kim Hajin (The Novel Extra) – Trait Bestowment].

So far, I've created around twenty pieces of jewelry despite my busy schedule. It's all thanks to the [Metallurgical Manipulation Skill] I've acquired, which allowed me to craft items without the need for fire. However, that skill only worked for a year, and I've since lost it.

If I wanted to craft items now, I would need to use the forge, which isn't a big deal; it just takes more time.

In the basement storage room, hidden by a secret entrance, there was a backlog of artwork, sculptures, and jewelry stashed away. I had created them while still learning, so many of the artworks had become somewhat obsolete.

"Maybe I should sell them all at an auction. Before that, I should open a gallery to showcase them—increasing their value."

"What are you thinking about so deeply?" the girl asked as she returned from getting her hair done.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw her. The tight dress with a low neckline and high slit accentuated her figure, and her hair was tied up in an elegant bun, adorned with a ruby and silver necklace.

"You look stunning, Hudgens," I complimented her, pausing my game. Hudgens looked taken aback and turned a shade pink.

"Really?" she asked, fixing her hair.

"Absolutely," I replied, standing up and walking toward her. Hudgens was undoubtedly the greatest beneficiary of the massage skill I had. Over the past two years, I had massaged her using chakra twelve times. Her beauty soared, and she became one of the prettiest women in the world.

She had grown two inches taller, but that didn't change much since she started out at 5'2". Her chest had become slightly more voluminous, and her skin had transformed into a flawless caramel tone.

"You picked the Ruby Spider set. There's a spider lip ring in the set; why not use that?" I suggested as I examined her appearance. When I touched the ruby on her necklace, Hudgens' face flushed bright red.

Hudgens shuddered and said, "T—the spider's so realistic that I got goosebumps when I put it on my lips."

"Oh, that's a pity," I replied, lightly brushing my fingers against her lips, which made her look dazed. I did it to feel their elasticity.

"Is it dangling from your lower lip? How does it feel in terms of weight when you wear it?"

My questions seemed to fade into the background as Hudgens' mind went blank from our close proximity.

'As expected, I'm useless at appraising it,' I thought, feeling disappointed.

Sage had helped me appraise my items before. The Ruby Spider set would grant the wearer a +20 Burning Charm—though I had no idea what that meant until Sage explained it to me.

The set increased the wearer's initial charm while amplifying their ferocity. An introvert would become an extrovert while wearing this item. Since Hudgens wasn't wearing the full set, the burning traits weren't activated, but she still received a +10 charm.

As I studied the set, trying to assess its characteristics, Hudgens waited patiently, her lips pursed and eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought. She stood on her tiptoes despite wearing high heels, inching her face closer to mine.

However, she soon looked disappointed when she found nothing. I had already stepped back, giving her space, unaware of her intentions.

"I should get ready now. Our transport will be here any minute," I said, stretching my arms upward.

Hudgens exclaimed in disappointment before realizing, "Wait. Already? I haven't finished my makeup yet!" She rushed away hurriedly while I went to change my clothes.

In less than ten minutes, I was dressed. I chose a classy black suit with a gray vest. On the lapel, I fitted a Caduceus staff brooch with hanging chains—one of the accessories I made, and it had the most powerful effect among them.

[Inviolability +30]

Inviolability refers to the state or quality of being safe from attack, infringement, destruction, or interference—or being held in reverence as something that must never be violated.

"I waited until the last moment, but I still have to wait for her to finish getting ready, huh?" I sighed, sitting back on the couch to wait for Hudgens.

Twenty minutes later, she was finally ready. However, I'd made the mistake of not wearing my shoes, so she blamed me for us being late.

"Wait," I called to Hudgens before we left the house.

"Hmm?" She turned, her eyes widening in surprise as I placed a green silk scarf on her head. She looked confused when I tied the scarf beneath her chin.

"What are you doing?" she asked, suspicion evident in her voice.

"Um... Just some preparation. Otherwise, your hair will get messed up."

"Messed up? Why—OH NO YOU DIDN'T!?" Her face paled when she heard the sound of blades cutting through the air from the sky.

"You didn't tell me we were going there by chopper?! I'm not getting into that death trap! Let me drive instead!"

"It will take three hours to get to Costa Mesa by car. The orchestra starts in an hour; we won't make it if we drive." I smiled and grabbed her wrist, preventing her from bolting.

"NOOO!!" Hudgens protested vehemently, but it was all in vain. She grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go during the entire ride. As we arrived at The Pacific Symphony Orchestra Hall in Costa Mesa, we were escorted to the seating area reserved for VIPs.

It was situated in the middle of the audience, a special area with the best acoustics in the hall.

"What piece will they perform?" Hudgens whispered before we were seated.

"Dvořák's Number 9—Aus Der Neuen Welt. Translated to: From the New World."

I spotted General Beckman in the VIP section, accompanied by some Chinese ambassadors. She was the CIA director who worked with Chuck, Sarah and Casey before.

The Chinese Ambassador lit up upon seeing me, wanting to stand, but the diplomats quickly stopped them, reminding them that it was rude to speak while the performance was about to start.

General Beckman gave me a slight nod in gratitude for doing her a favor. This year was particularly special since it was an election year.

As an influential figure among both the public and the elite in the country, many interested parties were trying to draw me into their camp, but I wasn't going to switch sides so easily. I kept hiding behind the identity of a minor, but the politicians were unrelenting.

The President had been doing an excellent job over the past three years—thanks to my influence—and I wasn't about to abandon him mid-journey as he worked to improve the country.

"How long will the performance take?" Vanessa asked as we sat a fair distance from the Chinese delegation and the General.

"About an hour, I suppose. It depends on the orchestra," I replied. "How long are you going to hold my hand?" I asked teasingly.

Vanessa grumbled adorably, "I'm still shaking." She was referring to the flight. I suddenly sensed the cold air blowing down on us. It had been raining for three days straight, and the air was quite chilly. Although she wore a jacket, it was rather thin.

I took off my blazer and offered it to her ten minutes into the orchestra as she shivered.

"What's this? I'm just your date substitute for the night. If you keep being lovey-dovey, I might get the wrong idea." Vanessa hid her face in the sleeves of my jacket and tried to act confident. I just smiled at her.

The darkness inside the hall concealed her features, and she kept glancing at me throughout the performance, seemingly unconcerned about the orchestra.

"Oh, someone slipped up, but they regained harmony in an instant," I commented, intrigued by the orchestra.

Half an hour passed, and the orchestra entered the fourth part of the piece—Allegro con Fuoco. The music, which means "fast, with fire" or "lively with passion," even mesmerized Vanessa.

Suddenly, I noticed a commotion near the General's seating area.

'There are about 15 minutes left. What's happening over there?'

I felt irked as they were interrupting a crucial moment of the piece.

"Is that Chuck?" I was astonished when I recognized familiar faces near the General. They were pulling a box from beneath her seat, and all of them had troubled expressions.

'Wait, isn't this the final episode of Chuck?'

I figured out what was happening instantly: a pressure-sensitive bomb had been placed under General Beckman's seat, set to detonate when the orchestra ended.

"Should I interfere?" I mumbled, rubbing my chin in contemplation.

"I'm curious about the bomb." I slowly stood up, prompting Vanessa to turn toward me and ask, "Where are you going?"

"Ah, it seems there's some trouble over there. I'll be back in two minutes," I replied casually, walking toward General Beckman.

Sarah muttered, "I'll get Quinn," as she stood up and rushed toward the exit.

"Who's Quinn? The villain?" I asked, surprising Chuck and Casey. Sarah didn't look back, even though she noticed me; her gaze seemed unfriendly.

"Hmm? Why is she looking at me like that?" I asked Chuck casually.

"Um, she lost her memories, so she doesn't know you. It's a long story," Chuck explained before he stood up, needing to retrieve the Intersect glasses from Quinn—the only way to restore Sarah's memories.

The Chinese delegation began to retreat as Casey told them to evacuate. The General instructed Casey to evacuate everyone, but he reminded her that interrupting the orchestra would still set off the bomb, making it a bad idea.

"We don't have time, Chuck," Casey said, trying to dissuade him.

Chuck replied decisively, "Then get me more time! I have to get the passcode from Quinn. It's the only way for us to stop the bomb."

He rushed away before I could say anything. Casey glanced at me, an idea forming in his mind. "Edward, the bomb is wired to explode when the music ends. Can you do something about it?"

"You want me to get on stage—for free?!" I feigned shock.

"Come on!" Casey groaned in frustration.

I laughed, grabbed my watch, twisted the case, and pressed the crown to open it. Grabbing the USB wire inside, I connected it to the bomb case controlled by an encrypted computer.

"What are you doing?" Casey asked, surprised by my actions, and he glanced at my watch. It was a mini computer disguised as a watch. It took me 2 million dollars just to create one of these.

"I told my date I'd only be gone for two minutes. I won't waste any time here." I began decrypting the password to open the case.

"It will take too long to hack in—" Before Casey could finish his sentence, I had already opened the case. Inside was a laptop controlling the bomb beneath the General's seat.

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"It's an old Prism laptop; this might be tricky." I pursed my lips slightly before connecting my USB to the laptop.

Casey immediately reported back to Chuck. "Edward managed to open the case. It's an old Prism laptop."

"Casey, go somewhere else. You're distracting me," I admonished him. Casey stepped back, taken aback, as I focused on the screen.

My fingers flew over the keyboard, the adrenaline from the thrill fueling my enthusiasm.

"Ah, I don't want this moment to end," I whimpered playfully.

Casey looked at me incredulously and asked, "What's wrong? Can you do it or not?"

"It's done," I replied, shutting down the entire bomb sequence with ease. Relief washed over Casey, and I noticed the General had tears in her eyes from the tension of the moment.

"I'll be going back to my date now. We can talk once the concert is over," I said before leaving them and heading back to Vanessa.

As I settled back into my seat, Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "What were you doing with the laptop?" she asked, glancing around at the people exiting the hall, curious but not panicked.

"Just saving the concert hall and everyone in it," I grinned mischievously, eliciting an eye roll from Vanessa.

The concert concluded without a hitch, and the audience applauded the orchestra for their stellar performance.

'Wasn't there supposed to be a song? "Take on Me," if I'm not mistaken. I also don't see Morgan anywhere.'

Once the crowd dispersed from the venue, Vanessa and I lingered behind to converse with the agents. A bomb squad arrived to dispose of the explosives and carried the case outside.

"Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Newgate. You saved many lives tonight," General Beckman said, extending her hand in gratitude.

I shook her hand and replied, "I didn't do much. But what's the story here? How did Sarah lose her memories? You forgot our beautiful moments together too, didn't you, Agent Walker?"

Sarah looked taken aback, prompting Chuck to clarify for her. "We infiltrated his house before, got punished, and had to work as waitstaff at his New Year's party. Then there was the time the president was attacked, and we went to his place for help."

"Did she lose all her memories?" Vanessa asked, looking at Sarah with sympathy. She remembered her and had even spoken to her before.

"No. I only lost the past five years," Sarah said, realizing that Vanessa and I were familiar faces. She felt genuinely bad for forgetting us.

"Have you tried a true love kiss?" I suggested, causing everyone present to stare at me in shock.

"Edward, what the hell are you talking about?" Vanessa asked, disbelief written all over her face.

"I'm just saying. Chuck and Sarah are married. Perhaps their love for each other will help restore her memories without needing the Intersect." I gestured toward the glasses in Chuck's hand.

The villain had met his end on the roof, dying a pitiful death. Chuck hadn't used the glasses this time, which meant he had a shot at restoring Sarah's memories through the Intersect since she had lost them in the first place.

Chuck's face lit up as he imagined reuniting with his wife. Meanwhile, Sarah appeared conflicted.

"Why don't you try it out?" I urged Chuck with a teasing smile. "Maybe you can save the use of the Intersect."

"Um," Chuck hesitated, turning to Sarah but ultimately rejecting my suggestion. "No, sorry. I won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to." He meant restoring her memories.

Without those memories, Sarah seemed to have returned to her previous life as an agent—unbound by her feelings and solely focused on her missions.

"I mean, I just helped you all prevent a major disaster. The least you can do is humor me," I pouted childishly. Vanessa was skeptical, knowing I wouldn't make such a boorish suggestion.

The General sided with me, feeling indebted. "I don't think it's hard for two seasoned agents to pretend for a moment. We owe him our gratitude after all."

Sarah nearly rolled her eyes and grabbed Chuck's arm. "Let's just do it. I don't think he'll let us off the hook if we don't."

"Um. Seriously—o—okay?" Chuck was visibly puzzled, hesitating as he leaned in slowly. But Sarah, irritated, pulled him in abruptly and gave him a deep kiss while everyone watched.

I smirked secretly and activated my Sharingan, diving deep into Sarah's subconscious.

'I cannot take an open ending to a love story that has played out over five years.'

She had some mental defenses in place as a seasoned agent, but it was easy for me to navigate past them.

The five years' memories hadn't been deleted by the Intersect; they had merely been isolated. Restoring them back into her main memories was straightforward for me as I rewired the connections in her mind.

As Sarah kisses Chuck, waves of memories flood back to the surface. Her eyes filled with tears of recognition, and she pulled him even closer.

"I remember," she whispered to Chuck before hugging him tightly in excitement. "I remember everything!" she exclaimed.

Everyone in the room was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. Casey stood there, bewildered, mumbling, "It was that easy?"

"So the main reason Sarah couldn't remember anything was that Chuck had no game and couldn't seduce her?" the General remarked, flabbergasted while I kept laughing.

"Oh. By the way, Casey. I need to talk to you about Britney. Can you swing by my house tomorrow?" I turned to Casey after I was done with Chuck and Sarah.

Casey was still speechless, but he agreed to my request, "Okay. I will be there."

...

Vanessa and I took the car route as we went back home. I hired a limousine service before the concert ended, and it arrived exactly on time when we got out of the building.

"It's really fortunate that there's a bomb inside the concert venue. Otherwise I would have to talk with the Chinese delegations, which will take a long time." I breathed in relief as I cracked a Fanta taken from inside the limousine's minifridge.

Vanessa crossed her hands together, staring at me skeptically. "Did you bring me there because you know this will happen?"

"No. I told you. I have to be there as a favor to the General. I hate going alone, and you don't have anything to do. I also thought it would be fun for you since you have never experienced an orchestra live before."

"Hmph!" Vanessa didn't believe me.

"I'm telling you the truth." I chuckled at her stubbornness to accept the fact.

"Don't be mad. The night's still young. Want to go to an art gallery together?" I invited her. Vanessa's eyes turned sharp, she turned towards me, leaning her head close to mine.

"Tell me properly. Are we going on a date together? Or is this just a casual friend thing? Because you already have Barbara–"

"I'm not dating Barbara." I replied truthfully, which shocked her.

"What– But the articles... And you guys even went on a date together–"

"I'm only helping her a bit with her career. It got derailed because she got kidnapped before." I replied.

"So– Are we.." Vanessa blushed slightly.

I leaned on my hand and gazed at her intently, "What do you think we were doing?"

"Umm..." Her face flushed red and she stammered while avoiding my gaze, "I thought you are not going to date your employees."

"Officially, I'm not your CEO. But in two more days, I will be. So I don't want to miss the chance." I flirted slightly.

"I–Is this the reason you don't want me to act in Spring Breakers?" Her eyes lit up in realization and she asked me excitedly.

I was slightly taken aback, "Why did you bring that up? You're the one who rejected the part."

"Yeah, after you told me that it's not worth it."

"I stick to what I said." I said haughtily.