The First Creation
“Hahaha-! Scientist! Good morning!”
“Yes? Yes… Good morning.”
The day after I handed the energy drink to Galrm. When I arrived at the villain organization for work, I was startled to see him greeting me with unusual friendliness. He had changed so drastically that I wondered if a person could transform so suddenly.
Had the guy eaten something strange? Being a tiger beastman, maybe he had nibbled on some weeds and that was what caused it. When I stared at Galrm with such suspicious eyes, he seemed to notice my gaze, paused for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha-! No need to be scared! I’m not here to pick a fight!”
“Ah, yes. Of course not.”
“Rather, if anyone picks a fight with you, just tell me! I’ll take care of it for you.”
“Thank you……?”
“By the way, Scientist. There’s something I’d like to ask……”
Ah, so that was it. I finally understood why Galrm had approached me so amicably. People didn’t change that easily. He must have wanted something from me, which explained the sudden kindness.
Why had Galrm, who had been so businesslike until yesterday, become so friendly? Was he going to ask to borrow money? Or perhaps request that I leave the organization because he didn’t like seeing me around? No, the latter didn’t fit with the smile plastered across his face.
Surprisingly, what Galrm asked for was neither of those things.
“The potion you made yesterday. I’d like you to make a few more.”
“……Yes? Ah, the energy drink.”
“Energy drink? Calling it just an energy drink……”
Galrm looked at me as though I were something remarkable. I simply tilted my head repeatedly, unable to grasp what the problem was. Yet despite my confusion, I felt relieved. It wasn’t a request to borrow money or co-sign a loan—just to make some energy drink. That was an incredibly easy favor.
“If you think it’s useful, you can formally tell the boss. Then she’ll officially order production……”
“Scientist. Are you satisfied with just that?”
“Satisfied? There’s no need to talk about satisfaction or anything……”
I was simply replicating items from Earth with their exact ingredients. I hadn’t racked my brain or poured money into creating that potion, so there was no need to discuss satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
Of course, ideally I would have preferred they just hand me money without asking for anything—but since Regalia had recruited me as the organization’s scientist, I needed to handle at least the minimum amount of work. Whether that level was undergraduate or otherwise……
However, Galrm seemed to misunderstand my words. His expression fluctuated between red and blue before he carefully stood up.
“I see. So I just need to tell the boss. Is that it?”
“Yes. Making a few for you isn’t difficult, but if you want a steady supply, then……”
“Right. Don’t worry. I’ll sort out your treatment right away too.”
“Huh? Huh?”
Leaving behind incomprehensible words and radiating a terrifying aura, Galrm departed. I wondered if I had made some verbal mistake.
No matter how much I thought about it, there was nothing. Thanks to that, I couldn’t understand why Mr. Galrm was so angry and spent a long time clutching my head.
The top floor of the Evils corporation building. A small commotion arose on this floor where the president’s office was located.
—You can’t just barge in……
—Shut up-!
Bang-! Seeing the tiger beastman who had kicked the door open fiercely, Regalia sensed it was a regular occurrence and put down the quill she was holding.
“Hey-! Boss! I have something to say!”
“……Galrm. No matter how much you want to see me, this is going too far. Have you forgotten where this is? There should be proper procedures.”
“No time to waste on such trivial procedures.”
Snorting at Regalia’s words, Galrm settled onto the sofa and naturally leaned back as he spoke.
“Boss, you already know why I’ve come, don’t you?”
“Ah…… If it’s about that news from yesterday. You’ve regained your prime strength? Congratulations. Even after pouring so many resources, it didn’t work……”
“That, it’s thanks to the potion the scientist made.”
“……What?”
Regalia blinked as if she had misheard. A moment later, she opened her eyes again and looked at Galrm as if asking if he was serious. Galrm shrugged as if to say why would he lie.
Of course, it was true that she had instructed Eight to make something that would help Galrm and Aile. However, that was only something that would ‘help’.
‘A potion that restores Galrm’s body to its prime? And in just a week?’
It was hard to even explain how absurd that was. Because Galrm wasn’t someone who should be in a mere villain organization.
Beast King Galrm. A former soldier and a legend who had distinguished himself in countless wars. It was said that if he weren’t a beastman, he would have taken the position of marshal by now. He was that outstanding a figure.
However, due to racial discrimination against beastmen and a few accidents during operations, he had no choice but to be discharged. Originally, he should have been in prison, but the fact that he could be active in society was because his achievements were so tremendous.
Even using all the wealth and connections he had gained during his military days, his body couldn’t be treated. It meant that no matter what in this world was used, his body couldn’t be fixed.
‘Does that make sense?’
It was hard to believe, but not only did Galrm have no reason to lie to her, but the scene he showed yesterday was clear evidence that he had regained his prime strength.
Of course, even if she tried to force herself to believe and swallow it, it was such an unbelievable event that it was hard to accept.
“I see…… As expected, he’s a talent I picked up.”
“About that talent—he doesn’t seem particularly satisfied with his own treatment?”
“What-? What’s wrong with my organization-! I think it has the best welfare in the industry!”
“For a scientist of his caliber, that level of welfare is only natural. Don’t you think? A genius who creates a medicine that restores me to my prime in just a week?”
“Ugh…… That may be true, but……”
Then what exactly should be done? While Regalia was racking her brains in thought, Galrm grinned and relayed what he had heard from the scientist.
“He said that this much is nothing. That he’s not satisfied with just showing this much.”
“……Even after achieving such a feat?”
“Yeah. And one more thing. He also expressed considerable disappointment toward the boss.”
“Hmm……?”
“With just this much, are you satisfied? I can do more! I can do as much as you want, so assign me anything! That’s what he said.”
He had never said that. Eight had never said such a thing, but in Galrm’s eyes, it clearly seemed that way. The inner thoughts Eight had never considered were clearly visible in the Beast King’s eyes.
Galrm had come to deliver this to the boss as a man, and as a beastman who had received his grace. Of course, this was also for the boss’s sake. If Eight felt disappointed in the boss and left for another organization, it would be a great loss.
“—Alright. If you’re saying that much, Galrm, then I should trust Eight a bit more too.”
“Right. That’s it. First, we should start by distributing the potion he made to all organization members. If they drink it before combat begins, even ordinary combatants should be able to deal with most C-class and D-class heroes.”
“……Is it to that extent? I’d like to try it once too.”
Since Galrm, who had never been seen praising anything, spoke like that, Regalia also began to show great interest in the potion Eight had made.
If it had that much effect, couldn’t it be downgraded and released to civilian society?
Well. Regalia was not only the head of a villain organization but also the president of a global conglomerate that dominated the world. She had no intention of leaving a good product alone.
‘Well, the important thing right now is to give Eight more research.’
Thinking thoughts that would make Eight gasp if he heard them, Regalia began to recall requests to assign to him.
“—So that’s how it is. Next, make something that can help Aile!”
“……Yes?”
It had been a week since joining the villain organization. Not even a month had passed, yet the second request had already come to me. I looked at Regalia with eyes that clearly showed I really didn’t want to, but Regalia just smiled brightly and tilted her head as if wondering what was so good.
—So? You don’t want to? Do you want to be thrown out on the street?
It seemed as if she was saying that. I nodded with tears in my eyes.
“Yes…… I understand.”
“Ah— right, by the way. About the potion you made. We’ve decided to officially distribute it within our organization.”
“Yes? What do you mean……”
“Hmm. Mass production as well, please. That’s all.”
“Ah, aah-.”
The tears that had been welling up finally burst out. I fell into despair, imagining the overwork that was about to come.