Dylan, who was waiting for the phone call, clicked his tongue in disbelief.
“Tsk.”
“Have you still not caught her?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Tsk, well. I didn’t expect much anyway.”
Well, she’s not a woman who would get caught by such low-level thugs in the first place. If she could be caught so easily, they would have grabbed her a long time ago and toyed with her as they pleased.
He slowly stood up, contemplating.
However, there’s only one entrance and exit to this facility, which is the main gate where he currently is. By now, she must have noticed the structure. Overall, it isn’t that difficult of a structure.
So to get outside, she has to pass through this point. But since he’s been thoroughly searching the surrounding area with his brooch, and hasn’t seen so much as a hair of her, it’s clear she must be inside this facility.
And thus, this question lingers in his mind.
“Why isn’t she coming out still?”
Is she hiding in fear of this power I possess, waiting for a chance? But that can’t be the only reason, as there are still a few people going missing from time to time inside this facility as well.
This doesn’t mean she’s hiding; it clearly indicates she is searching the facility thoroughly with a specific purpose.
Could it be that there’s some reason she can’t come out?
After thinking for a moment, Dylan suddenly snapped his fingers as if he had realized something.
“Oh, could it be because of that little kid!”
The half-beast child who came with her.
He had almost forgotten, but if she’s looking for that child right now?
It seemed very plausible!
Now that he thinks about it, she had been obsessed with “the child” in the past too.
Dylan smirked a nasty grin.
He had a good idea.
Dylan immediately took an amplification magic stone from a corner of the security room and brought it to his mouth.
“Ah, can you hear me over there? You probably can. This voice is being broadcasted throughout the entire facility.”
After a moment, his voice echoed throughout the facility like an echo.
– Ah, can you hear me over there? You probably can. This voice is being broadcasted throughout the entire facility.
Is that how my voice normally sounds?
Oh dear, it sounds too villainous; no matter how many times he hears his own voice, he never gets used to it.
“Well, I don’t care where you are, but if there’s a window where you are, why not take a look at the central garden for a moment?”
After saying that, Dylan pressed a button.
Then, a huge white square began to appear above the central garden.
That was a large aerial virtual screen that he had spent a lot of money to install.
When else would he use that if not at a time like this?
Originally, it was installed for emergency guidance within the facility, but usually, he used it to watch movies from the window of his office.
Now, it was finally serving its intended purpose.
“Whatever your location is, make sure to watch carefully.”
Beep, a sound from the button confirmed the input, and shortly after, the massive virtual screen displayed the little child, who was staring blankly with her hands covering her head.
Oh dear, I guess the kid is scared being left alone?
Hahaha! It’s truly a perfect picture!
He played the scene where she helplessly brought her hands down from her head and pressed the button once more to turn off the screen.
“If you don’t want to see this brat end up in a bad way, you’d better rush to the main gate right now.”
That should be enough.
The effect was immediate.
He felt the sensation of being detected.
“Really quick.”
———–
A man’s voice resonated throughout the facility.
Due to the shocking content, Luke gradually removed his hands from his ears, having blocked out the noise that Py was making, cursing him.
– If you don’t want to see this brat end up in a bad way, you’d better rush to the main gate right now.
“…Huh.”
A despondent groan escaped Luke’s lips.
Since Dylan’s voice was being broadcasted throughout the entire facility, it reached Luke’s ears very clearly.
“This is ridiculous.”
No matter how suspicious they were, he had really, really tried to see them in a not-so-bad light.
He had tried so hard in a forced manner that even Py, the spirit, had scolded him for his ignorance.
When he thought of the possibility that Py could affect his research and cause trouble, he had instead kept him close by his side.
When Yerna didn’t contact him, he thought perhaps there was some reason she simply couldn’t check her phone.
He thought that his hesitation toward the facility was because he did not know much about the facility from 5000 years later.
But how dare they spew such nonsense?
Wasn’t that betraying his goodwill?
Even if they are truly “villains,” as long as it wasn’t related to him, he intended to let it go silently.
At most, he thought of discussing any suspicious circumstances with Yerna and reporting it to the relevant authorities.
He thought that was the changed modern method of punishment.
But what is this?
“This is your answer.”
Luke stood up. The sound of footsteps was getting closer.
Just in time, the man who led him here appeared to be returning.
Click, the door opened, and he entered, speaking a word.
“Hehe, hey kid. Did you hear the broadcast? Your mom seems to be in big trouble now.”
With his criminal-like face and still third-rate villain-like smile, Luke felt no particular thrill anymore.
Wasn’t there solid evidence just now that had been revealed?
Luke slowly approached him and whispered lowly.
“You.”
“…!”
He was surprised that his legs wouldn’t move at all; no, his entire body had no intent to move. It was as though his body was stripped of control.
“…”
He was breathless.
The little child was still approaching, but he couldn’t move a single finger.
Thud, thud, thud.
In such circumstances, the sound of each little step the child took came extraordinarily loud to him.
And finally, the child came just one step away from him and glanced down at her hand, showing a cold expression.
What’s in my hand? Oh, an anesthetic. I prepared the most immediate one.
‘I’m screwed…’
She casually reached out her hand.
As she felt the hand of the child holding her head, he thought, ‘Huh? When did my height shrink this much?’ but suddenly realized it was because he was kneeling.
Like a minister facing a king, politely.
When exactly had I been kneeling?
What on earth is happening to me right now?
-Confess your sins.
The powerful shock resonated as if it were touching his soul; he had no choice but to speak of his “sins.”
“I… sold about ten people, regardless of age.”
“Is that so.”
Luke closed his eyes and nodded, as if affirming his understanding of his sins.
He harbored a glimmer of hope within that look.
Perhaps, just perhaps.
I might be able to survive?
It was the boss who ordered me to do it; I hold no responsibility!
Yes, if I say that…!
If only she would give me one more chance to “confess,” I intended to firmly defend myself this time.
But having read his psychological state, Luke muttered softly.
“How unfortunate.”
Anyone tends to be lenient toward themselves.
Look, doesn’t he think that is already his “sin”?
What he did while thinking it to be a “sin” is undeniably a “crime” and “evil.”
And evil deserves proper punishment.
That’s what Luke Iruishi thinks as a hero.
Decapitation? No, in Luke’s standards, selling just under ten slaves did not constitute enough reason for that.
It is true that the blood of a decapitated sinner is needed, but this guy was a “subpar.”
Luke declared to him.
-Sleep forever.
As soon as Luke finished speaking, he closed his eyes.
From now on, he would continue to breathe and live; however, he would never open his eyes again until the moment he dies.
Not killing him, is that not sufficient punishment?
After all, now that a “command” has been issued, his mind is irreparably damaged and he will never be able to return to the past state.
Even without ordering eternal sleep, cognitive decline, regression of language skills, and intermittent mental shutdowns will follow him throughout his life, inevitably leading him to die sooner than others or to lose his sanity and be pointed at by people as a madman.
All magic that can currently be used carries such irreversible side effects, so he had tried to avoid using it as much as possible…
“…”
After looking quietly at the face of the condemned who had temporarily closed his eyes, Luke loosened his grip and let go of that head, speaking.
“Py, stay at home. It seems like things are going to get a bit noisy.”
– But…
Py spoke softly as if he had something to say, but did not continue.
Oh dear, if Py is nearby, he can’t use violent magic.
Even a slight release of mana that he is bound to in the circle would seriously harm the weak Py.
Moreover, according to that voice, hasn’t Yerna now become endangered because of “him”?
He didn’t want to delay even a moment more.
Thus, with a bit of anger, Luke released 20% of his mana and said.
“Go.”
At that, Py organized his thoughts and couldn’t help but respond.
– …Okay.
———-
Somewhere in the Rienne Forest, a blue spirit was flying in the air, appearing tired.
– Hiiing…
Luke was very angry.
Was it because he called him foolish…?
Indeed, the foolishness was quite severe.
Why did he say such harsh words?
No matter how frustrated he was, that comment had clearly crossed the line.
Luke was actually not a foolish simpleton.
So he intended to apologize, but he was only able to convey a feeling of regret.
Strangely enough, even as he communicated well with the spirit, he couldn’t particularly grasp the way to convey his emotions, so he questioned whether it had truly become an effective apology.
So it kept weighing on his mind.
Py stopped on the way back and glanced back briefly.
His body, made up of mana, trembled due to the overwhelming magic.
Those who cannot see mana wouldn’t perceive it, but Py distinctly saw the artificially created mana, which was clearly different from the natural mana.
A dragon, formed in a red shape, was filled with undeniable rage.
– Hiiing…
It seems he is really angry.
When he gets home, he must apologize.
