Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Wow, it’s really all over now.
I reached a smooth agreement with Cult, and shook off Tillis’ surveillance.
Even the analysis of Ex Machina’s mechanical devices, led by the imperial official Koran Lekias, ended with him declaring it “incomprehensible” himself, before withdrawing from the Orphanage.
Power really is wonderful.
I managed to slip away without raising even a hint of suspicion.
But did Koran Lekias give up on revenge? I’m not sure, but one thing is certain—the Orphanage will be quiet now.
“Just as I thought, my student! I knew you’d handle it well!”
And Yuna.
Normally, I’d have been sick of her presence, but now, just knowing she’s nearby brings comfort.
“Where did you go…? I had such a hard time.”
“Puhihihi!”
While I was gone, all sorts of lunatics…!
So many things happened in just a few days… I’m exhausted.
“Was what I told you helpful?”
“Yeah, it was more than helpful—it’s fair to say it solved the problem!”
“Then shouldn’t you learn better techniques?”
“No.”
I straighten my expression.
I said no. Don’t cross the line. Seriously.
“Ah, what a pity. So, what are you going to do today? After so much, shouldn’t you take a break?”
“No, from today I have to get back to research immediately.”
“That’s exhausting.”
“Even if it’s exhausting, I have to. People’s lives are at stake. There isn’t much time.”
Ariel’s life truly doesn’t have much left. When I invited Cult to Koran Lekias’ lab, he said so.
Robelia has already returned to the Imperial Court, which is why she asked me for help.
To be honest, I didn’t even know Robelia had returned.
She’s not someone I normally keep track of, so not knowing is natural.
Recently, the Orphanage had been chaotic both inside and out, so I had been keeping a low profile more than usual.
Robelia’s outing this time carries significant meaning.
She’ll experience something horrific at the Imperial Court, dragging her battered mental state back to the Orphanage.
And before her mind has even fully recovered, she’ll have to confront Ariel’s death. Not noticing her closest friend’s condition will completely shatter Robelia.
In the game, Robelia’s mental breakdown was the focus.
Ariel was merely a device to showcase the breaking of Robelia’s mind.
It’s tragic.
Perhaps secondary characters exist only to make the protagonist shine.
“Right now, the only person free here is me.”
So, the only one who can witness the final moments of the supporting character pushed offstage is the audience outside the stage.
Research was nearing completion.
Just a few more rounds of experimentation, and the medicine would be ready.
But the materials, drawn from the power of Maxwell’s demon, are limited, so I have no choice but to be as careful as possible.
I don’t know what happened to Koran Lekias afterward, but the demon had already been taken by Tillis, leaving no way to replenish materials.
I wanted to rescue Koran Lekias before losing the demon, but avoiding Tillis’ detection of the demon’s energy made it an unavoidable sacrifice.
“Ugh… my head…”
I lifted my gaze to the ceiling lamp.
My focus wavered, so today’s work would have to end here.
Pushing through in this state would yield no real results.
“Phew…”
It’s already been four days since the matter with Emily.
And I still need to deal with the drone Tillis asked me to fix…
She even left contact information, so I can’t just ignore it.
“Hmm?”
I was staring blankly at the ceiling lamp, lying there, when something flickered.
It wasn’t a problem with my vision. Something had just moved, clearly.
I hurriedly looked down, preparing to scan the surroundings.
But at that exact moment—
Click!
Before I could even think what it was, a cold metallic sensation pressed against the back of my head. The familiar sound followed immediately after.
“Damn…”
I quickly assessed the situation.
I couldn’t be mistaken.
“Nice to meet you, Johan Damus. It’s the first time we’re seeing each other like this, isn’t it?”
“…Firearms are strictly regulated under imperial law, you know.”
“As long as we aren’t caught, it’s fine. And if you know the future, I trust you know who I am.”
With that, the person in front of me was someone I had at least seen before.
No, not even “seen” exactly—I recognized him.
Green hair, piercing yellow eyes like a bird of prey.
A youthful-looking boy, one of the ruffians who had once taken over my room with Robelia.
“…Stan Robinhood.”
“Yes, correct. I expected you’d know.”
Why is this bastard here?
A royal spy, an assassin, and most importantly…
“Could you tell me why you contacted Emily?”
Stan Robinhood is Emily Robinhood’s older brother.
I tried to think how he might have learned about me.
‘Could it be Ariel…?’
The only one who could have spread the fact that I met with Emily was Ariel.
Even though I asked him to keep it secret, he went behind my back?
The white-haired beast shouldn’t have been handled like this…!
“Emily asked me to deliver this to you.”
“….”
So it wasn’t Ariel.
Sorry, Ariel.
But it makes sense. It’s a misunderstanding anyone could have.
“You know Emily is Ex Machina, right?”
I glanced at the bag Stan dropped beside me.
Through the opened zipper, sophisticated mechanical devices could be seen.
The items Emily had promised me as compensation for this task.
No way… did Emily just have her brother deliver such dangerous things?
“…Calm down.”
“I’m being rational. It’s a reasonable judgment. You understand the level of secrecy here, don’t you?”
“Let’s talk first.”
“Fine, but somewhere easier to discuss would be better.”
Thunk!
After saying that, my consciousness went blank, like a film snapping.
Tap.
A tickling sensation on the crown of my head.
Tap.
Damp, unpleasant.
Tap.
Water droplets trickled down my cheek.
“….”
Opening my eyes slowly, I realized my situation.
I was tied to a chair.
In short…
“This bastard?”
It was terrible.
I was already tired with too many tasks, and now someone’s bothering me.
“You’re awake.”
“Is this a suitable place to talk? Why not make your interior look like this too?”
I sighed.
Looking around, he had apparently found another “convincing” location.
Rough walls, metal bars, and water dripping from the ceiling—it’s definitely an underground prison.
“Was all this really necessary?”
He had treated me politely, and this is how I end up?
Humans, huh? When you’re courteous, the other side should show a matching response.
“I hope you understand this is a sensitive matter.”
“I wasn’t resisting. This could have ended there.”
“That’s true. But I have to prepare for the worst-case scenario. I worry a lot, you see.”
By “worst-case scenario,” Stan means the moment he might have to kill me. He’d be willing to if necessary.
Considering his personality, he probably won’t really kill anyone…
But I can assume he’s at least mentally prepared.
“Now, Johan, tell me. Why did you contact her?”
“I’m losing it. Why do you only think I contacted her? Emily contacted me!”
“She doesn’t care much about others.”
“She seems very concerned about her master, though?”
“….”
Stan smiled at my words and aimed the gun at me.
This bastard? Losing an argument, and he resorts to force immediately.
“You knew all along… You used Koran Lekias to threaten Emily, didn’t you?”
“How far do you stretch logic? This crazy bastard. I was handling my own life just fine, and the two of you contacted me first.”
“Emily contacted you? Haha! There’s no reason for that. What did you say? Didn’t you first wag your tail with cunning lies?”
It’s pointless to argue. Even with family involved, this is ridiculous.
Even so, if I think back to why Stan initially targeted me, it makes sense.
If the Imperial Court discovered Emily’s Ex Machina role, her entire family could have been annihilated. Acting so carelessly would terrify anyone.
“I believe you can understand my actions. Honestly, I have no reason to trust you—a frivolous man like you.”
“I’m completely serious.”
“Our trust is too little to believe that. Don’t worry, I don’t intend to kill you.”
Stan lowered the gun and spread both hands.
He probably doesn’t want to kill me.
But judging by his tone, he doesn’t intend to let this go easily either.
“I’m just giving a little warning. Don’t forget it. Remember, I can do worse than this.”
Stan then turned behind me and grabbed one of my bound arms.
I could feel a slight tremor through his hand.
If his intent was to silence me with fear, he failed.
I could feel him doubting and fearing his own actions more than I did.
“Your family’s upbringing shows, huh, bastard.”
“I apologize. But I must protect my family.”
“No need to apologize.”
I gave up trying to reason with him.
If he acts like that, there’s no reason for me to respond kindly.
“Yuna, take him.”
“What…?”
Thunk!
The hand holding my arm was knocked away.
I didn’t see the rest, but it was handled swiftly.
“Ugh…!”
“Well done.”
Yuna must have realized I was kidnapped. There’s no way Stan could see through her stealth otherwise.
The difference in skill is enormous.
“Don’t kill him.”
I warned just in case Yuna might. She’s never hesitated to kill before.
“Hmm… understood.”
Yuna disarmed Stan and untied me, then asked:
“Should we kill him?”
Right, she treats human lives like ant lives. I forgot that.
“No time for cleanup.”
“I could do it for you. He threatened you, after all.”
“Still, let’s let him slide this time. He didn’t try to kill me.”
“Hmm… alright, I guess you’re right, Johan.”
Stan had likely been prepared to kill me in a worst-case scenario.
But if that weren’t the case, there’d be no reason to wait until I woke up. He could have just finished it before then.
“Mistakes can be cleared up. Call Emily, explain what happened, and he’ll understand.”
A simple misunderstanding.
I don’t intend to get along with this human brute, but turning Emily into an enemy is too risky.
I can sort of understand his way of thinking… though I absolutely can’t condone it.
It’s better to forgive once like a magnanimous person and receive recompense.
“Johan Damus! If you lay a finger on her—!”
“….”
Why does this bastard keep treating me like the villain?
I just saved his life, you know?
“Yuna.”
“Yes?”
“Thinking about it, we don’t have time to handle him fully. Let’s just lock him up until the job is done. I’ll explain to Emily.”
“Oh~ a judgment filled with emotion.”
This bastard crossed the line first.
After being locked in a cold underground cell and starved, he’ll rethink things.
At the same time.
Ariel stared blankly at the sunlight.
“Ah…”
Even without moving, realizations flooded her mind.
The boundary between her and the world blurred.
“If it’s now….”
Her perspective on the world began to shift.
If it’s now, she could do it.
“If it’s now, I think I can.”
Her abilities could be formalized into magic.
The level of a Grand Mage was within reach.
But she also instinctively knew that once her ability was solidified into a single magic, she would vanish from this world.
“Still, with this power, I can surely help His Majesty.”
She smiled.
Even facing death, the thought that she could leave something in this world brought her joy.
She no longer feared death.