Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Raise Your Hand If It Hurts - 2
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Nine patients left.
Maybe it was the shocking sight they'd just witnessed, but they all stared at me with dumbfounded expressions, frozen in place.
But the organization's executives had been tormented, so as their leader, I couldn't just sit idly by. I couldn't stop at merely scaring them.
"Dodo."
"Y-Yes?"
"Who tormented you the most here?"
Dodo's mouth fell open, but she didn't answer. Instead, her gaze drifted toward a particular someone.
Thud!
I grabbed that guy by the collar, hoisted him up, and slammed him onto the operating table. It took a solid hit, but the table held strong once again.
"Where does it hurt, patient?"
"You fucking bastard! Let me go!"
They say a cornered pup barks loudest, and a trapped mouse bites the cat. I had no idea why so many of these guys had such filthy mouths.
The highest-ranking one, Elfriede, never even swore.
I nodded quietly.
"Dental case, huh."
The hammer that had belonged to Cheshire Cat—Ermethylene, was it?—was more like a claw hammer, with a forked prong on one side for pulling nails.
But instead of a nail, I wedged the guy's front teeth into that prong.
"Raise your hand if it hurts."
Of course, to raise his hand, he'd have to move faster than me. But that wasn't happening.
Crack—!
"Gaaahhh!"
I neatly yanked out a few of his teeth.
"Surgery complete."
"Guh... Ack!"
I kicked the writhing guy in the face, sending him tumbling to the floor.
Once surgery's done, shouldn't you clear out for the next patient? That's just manners. This time, my gaze turned to Tyr.
"Tyr, who tormented you the most?"
"That guy. Him!"
Tyr glared at one man, veins bulging on her forehead. I nodded.
"I'll spare that one."
"...?"
Tears welled up in Tyr's doe-like eyes. The kind that only form when resentment boils over completely.
"You fucking... Why only me..."
"Just kidding. Don't cry."
The guy Tyr pointed out didn't even think to resist me. It made sense—the first two I'd taken down were their strongest.
I dragged him onto the operating table just the same.
"Where do you want it to hurt?"
Bad question? Didn't matter. I wasn't a real doctor anyway.
"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
Unlike the previous two, this guy burst into manic laughter.
"Lady Dnia won't stand for this. Her knights won't either! You're an idiot! A complete moron! Hahaha!"
"Looks like you need brain surgery."
Splat—!
His head vanished with the sound of a bursting watermelon. Playing doctor was starting to feel like it wasn't for kids anymore.
Only now did it hit me that freeing the hostages should come first. I got right to it.
"Eek!"
"Uwaaah!"
I untied Tyr and Dodo from the table, and they scrambled behind my back. Even Cheshire Cat did the same, which struck me as odd.
"Eeeek!"
Bang—!
One of Dnia's underlings tried to bolt. The result was simple: a bullet punched through his forehead.
"Don't even think about running. If you do, I'll hunt you down and kill you, no matter what. Got it?"
The remaining guys nodded frantically, terror etched on their faces.
"Oh, right—who was it that told the maid to fetch the Roykitarmin?"
One raised his hand. I chucked the potion vial at his face.
"Argh! Gaaaaah!"
"Here you go."
I pulled Cheshire Cat forward and positioned her in front of me.
"H-Huh? What're you doing, meow?!"
I shoved the claw hammer into her hand. She stared at me, still clueless.
There was something I had to confirm. That's why I'd kept her alive.
First, I activated Restoration Stigma. A warm glow enveloped her, and her body looked good as new.
Cheshire Cat's eyes went wide.
"Wh-What...? My body...? It's healed, meow?"
Her eyes pleaded for an explanation, but I gave a curt reply.
"From now on, do whatever you want. Your body's fine, and you've got the Witch's Curse right there."
Cheshire Cat was an icon of betrayal.
What I needed to confirm was her true loyalty. I'd watch her actions and decide whether to kill her or let her live.
"Hoo..."
She let out a deep sigh and nodded.
She seemed to grasp the intent behind my command.
"Got it, meow."
Thwack! Thwack! Crack! Soon, the sound of her hammering filled the surgery room.
"Hah... Haah... Haaah...!"
Once she'd confirmed every last one of Dnia's underlings was dead, Cheshire Cat stuck out her tongue and panted. She really did look like a cat then.
She glanced at me, as if begging for some kind of response.
But when I said nothing, she spoke first.
"Hoo... Good now, meow? You're sparing me, right? I got no beef with you, meow."
"You think so?"
"Of course! I just proved it by killing Dnia's goons with my own hands, meow."
Her actions were praiseworthy. But...
Slap—!
I backhanded her cheek with all my strength.
"...Meow?"
She stared at me in bewilderment.
It was necessary. Cheshire Cat was the type whose head was filled with thoughts of betrayal, so taming her required strict discipline.
"You think you're a guest here?"
She rubbed her cheek and replied.
"S-Sorry if I came off rude, meow. I just..."
"Sorry?"
She gulped dryly and fell silent, thinking hard.
She'd realized one wrong word could make her head explode. Caution set in.
Moments later, she knelt quietly.
"I'm sorry, meow."
"What for?"
She began speaking calmly.
"I overstepped my place at first. Then you saved me, but I forgot the favor and talked like we were equals, meow."
She wasn't stupid, despite her betrayal streak. I pressed on.
"So what'll you do from now on?"
"If you'll have me, I'll work under you, meow."
"You'll betray me."
"I'll betray my betrayal, meow. I can do that, meow."
I nodded.
"Alright. Then Cheshire Cat, you'll work as a maid in the mansion from now on."
"...Meow?!"
"What? Working from the bottom without betraying—that's just what maids do every day. You haven't proven anything more than that yet."
She prostrated herself flat.
"I'll prove it, meow! Give me anything, and I'll prove it right now, meow."
"Oh?"
She nodded vigorously at my question. She was taming surprisingly easily.
"Then start by spilling everything you know. Why'd these guys come here?"
She pulled a pitch-black dagger from her bosom.
The kind handed out in Wonderland or Blackjack when suggesting suicide. That explained plenty.
"Looks like Dnia finally couldn't stomach you skimming funds anymore. Instead of rescuing you, she ordered them to kill you outright."
"Yeah, something like that, meow."
"But you were damn good at logistics. No one's lined up to replace you, so Dnia must be pretty pissed."
"Thank you, meow."
"Shut up. That's not praise."
"...Meow."
I rubbed my chin for a moment.
"...She's not the type to just swallow her anger. Who do you think she'll take it out on?"
"Hm... If word gets out that you've taken me in, probably you, Lord Florian, meow."
"Now that's a hassle. Might be easier to chop you into twenty-three pieces, wrap you pretty, and send you back. She'd probably be satisfied and call it even."
Her tail and cat ears quivered. She pressed herself flat to the floor.
"I-I'll prove my worth, meow! I'm capable, meow!"
"How? Explain."
"Dnia has four knights under her. I'll lead them to ruin, meow. All their hoarded wealth becomes yours, meow!"
I had no desire to pile up riches, but it'd still mean stripping Elfriede of assets. Not a bad deal.
Truth be told, I'd grilled her just to hear this. With that, the interrogation wrapped up.
"Hey, kids. We've got a new maknae."
Cheshire Cat's ears perked up, her tail swishing happily. Relief at surviving washed over her.
But then.
Smack!
Tyr charged over and smacked the top of her head with her palm.
"Ouch, seriously—be good from now on, maknae. Show some respect to your seniors."
"...?"
Dodo chimed in from the side.
"Clean up all these bodies. Y-You caused this mess."
"Once you're done, grab the hammer and follow. We were short a laborer who knows hammers anyway. Perfect timing."
"...Meow?"
The seniors' nagging continued.
"Think of how scared the patients in the clinic must've been. Y-You owe me mental damages, no doubt. And repair costs, obviously."
"Right. You haul bricks or what? Doesn't matter if you suck—just haul 'em. When I say move, you move."
Before long, Cheshire Cat's face paled again.