episode_0292

She struggled to untie the ropes, but they didn’t budge.

Her magic wasn’t working at all.

A heavy, cold sensation emanated from her wrists.

‘Magic suppression restraints, then.’

Her sharp, viper-like yellow eyes darted around.

Her captors seemed to have no intention of blindfolding her.

She could survey the gloomy room, which had no windows.

It was a cliché, uniform interrogation room, like something out of a movie.

Mercenaries wearing skull masks lined all four walls.

“You lot, you said you were Dunhind Security Service, right? I’m truly curious what your motive is for doing this. Didn’t the contract fee from the university suit you? Or are your heads as empty as those navy brutes? Huh?”

She sneered in a provocative tone.

She hurled taunts repeatedly, trying to provoke a response, but the mercenaries, all in identical uniforms and exuding the same aura, remained silent.

She needed a clue.

“Answer me!”

“…”

Suddenly, Bernike’s train of thought, interrupted on the whaling ship, resumed.

Though she had little interest in worldly affairs beyond her important research, issues that occasionally turned society upside down would inevitably reach her ears.

‘A large-scale Awakened combat unit capable of subduing heavily armed forces in an instant…’

These mercenaries, despite trying to conceal themselves with camouflage gear, armor, and thick combat suits, all possessed consistently small and agile physiques.

Silent soldiers who appeared suddenly, attacked, and vanished without a trace.

Besides the emotions undetectable by artifacts, there were a few other strange points.

She had overlooked it then, but now, looking back, hadn’t she scanned several on the ship?

It struck her that all three had possessed the same type of mutated brain structure.

All three of them? Is that even possible?

‘No.’

It was just an absurd urban legend.

Why would *they*, whom neither the Federation nor the three major clans could find a single shadow of, let alone apprehend, appear before her very eyes?

Bernike’s intuition and half of her reason tried to find a compromise, while the other half of her reason clearly warned of danger.

After eliminating all seemingly impossible possibilities, what truly remained?

‘Surely not, *they*?’

Bernike, who had been calmly contemplating, was seized by bewilderment.

The conclusion she reached in the labyrinth of her thoughts was as bizarre and preposterous as a fisherman on a tranquil lakeside suddenly reeling in a giant squid.

-Click!

While Bernike wrestled with her thoughts for a long time, like a student agonizing over ambiguous options on a test, the door slid open.

Entering was a tall, black-haired young man.

The smaller mercenaries nodded and stepped aside, indicating he was their superior.

It was merely puzzling why he wasn’t wearing camouflage or a mask.

As the young man, seated in a chair, gazed at her quietly with his hazy, cloudy eyes, Bernike grumbled.

“You’re the boss? Are you another dim-witted soldier type like Kurt? Don’t tell me you’re from Laplacia? You’ve been playing games all this time, and now you’re finally showing your true colors? Really, how did someone so handsome end up doing something like this? Huh?”

Surprisingly, the man reacted unexpectedly to the professor’s words.

When the young man bowed his head, Bernike’s eyes widened.

“First, all I can offer is my apology. If we hadn’t resorted to this method, there would have been no opportunity for a deep conversation with you, Professor.”

The Scholar-nim spoke to the wide-eyed professor.

“I am Seijis Arklight, Scholar-nim of the Inspection Bureau. I apologize for bringing you here so impolitely.”

After saying that, he turned, unbound the professor, and sat back down.

“Oh, right. You’re really an Inspection Bureau Scholar-nim? Are you joking? Go break up some kids’ fights instead of doing this kind of thing!”

“Professor, I fully understand your displeasure. If you just listen to what I have to say, I’ll release you immediately. We can’t keep you here for long anyway. You will soon be entrusted with a significant task.”

“What’s your game? Oh, don’t tell me you’re the ones who used those pirate gorillas to kidnap me? Hey, self-proclaimed Scholar-nim. I don’t know who’s behind you, but do you really think I’d follow their orders? Dream on.”

“Please don’t misunderstand, Professor. We didn’t kidnap you. The one who targeted you was probably one of two. We’re considering Arcsight or the Foundation, but the most likely is…”

The next moment, their voices overlapped.

“Laplacia, right?”

“…Laplacia.”

The bodies of the mercenaries lining the walls trembled for a moment. The professor’s keen eyes caught that fleeting change and imprinted it deeply in her mind.

“It’s just a guess, but the possibility is high. That disgusting Raihan bastard always disliked me. I know he was always looking for an opportunity. There were many suspicious things at that pirate base too. It was strange how Laplacia’s cutting-edge research equipment, which would never be sold to anyone other than someone like me or a foundation, kept coming in one after another. Only a fool wouldn’t notice. It would have been impossible without the intervention of the chairman and the board of directors. Though I don’t know the specific reason.”

“Your conjecture is likely correct.”

“Anyway, what’s your motive? Why did you rescue me only halfway? And those fools behind you, why is the Ariel Group here?”

The reaction was immediate. Watching the mercenaries shiver in fright and the Scholar-nim remain silent, Professor Bernike reveled in the pleasure of a gambler hitting the jackpot.

Such a clear affirmation. It was just a guess, but it really hit the mark.

“It was true? You were that infamous terrorist organization? The true identity of those mercenaries, the terrorists who crushed the Magnabisma mages! Haha!”

Seijis sighed. He had worried she was overly perceptive and curious, but how had she figured it out so quickly? He truly didn’t like this woman.

“Could you step outside for a moment? I have something to discuss with the professor.”

The comparatively small-statured mercenaries obediently retreated outside at the Scholar-nim’s words.

The Scholar-nim briefly traced several spells in the air within the room, then opened his mouth in a solemn tone.

“We’ll explain that part later; let’s get to the main point. Professor Bernike, the moment you leave this room, you will be entrusted with crucial research. Once you return to the West, Restraid’s Knights and Federation agents will immediately seek you out.”

“What research?”

“Code Omega, Apostle.”

Bernike, who had been doubting her ears, froze in place like a statue.

The Scholar-nim quickly cut her off as she was about to unleash a flood of questions and continued speaking.

“We wish for you, Professor, to receive our protection and management during that research process. And we would like you to inform us of any research you are currently conducting.”

“And you’re surely plotting other schemes, right? Do you want to steal data or sabotage something?”

“Half correct. However, we are not asking you to hinder the research.”

“Why should I?”

Bernike asked, chin raised in an arrogant posture. It wasn’t a question asking for motivation.

“Are you an idiot? Stop with the crazy nonsense. Why should I sit here and listen to trash like you? Hey, self-proclaimed Scholar-nim. It seems you’ve dug into my personal information, so you must know what kind of person I am, right? I’m on a completely different level from simple laborers with nothing in their heads like you or your terrorist simpletons. Do you understand me?-”

The Scholar-nim quietly rose. As his hand grasped the air, two small syringes descended onto the table.

“-You talk about helping someone with grand theories, then you drag me in like this? And on top of that, you expect me to trust you now? Stop with the ridiculous talk. Huh? Syringes… Don’t tell me you intend to inject me with a truth serum? Or perhaps addict me to drugs to control me? Hahaha! What a brazen and childish idea. Unfortunately, I’m not foolish enough to fall for such cheap tricks. Idiot.”

The moment a strong grip seized the back of the professor’s head, a past memory flashed through the Scholar-nim’s mind.

“Heh heh, you think you’ll persuade me to cooperate? Scholar-nim, you’d best give up on such futile fantasies.”

The pale-faced woman, despite suffering from illness, burst into a challenging laugh.

“The more I think about it, the more depressing it gets, but objectively speaking, I’m a damned bitch. This is self-objectification based on clear reason and rational analysis. I am an arrogant, selfish, narcissistic mass of ego. Of course, I’m an extraordinary talent who deserves to be, but still. Anyway, you want my cooperation? Remember this: no matter what you do, I’ll never listen to you. Whether you beg or threaten.”

The Scholar-nim asked what exactly he needed to do to gain her cooperation.

The ailing Bernike chuckled and replied.

“Why overthink it? Those fools, Levi and Granite, you know what they like to do. Beat them up!”

The Scholar-nim willingly accepted the advice given by the academy city’s greatest intellect.

And so, Bernike’s head slammed down, splitting the table in two.

-Slam!

“Aaaah!”

As shattered floor tiles scattered, a small broca wriggled out from her struggling back like a viper, drawing its blade.

Seijis unhesitatingly grabbed and pulled it out.

As her screams intensified, the Scholar-nim brought the syringe closer and whispered.

“My broca! Do you know how much that costs? Ugh! You ape! I’ll kill you! Argh! Wait! What are you injecting!”

“I won’t apologize. This is an unavoidable measure. You’ve caused too much trouble. And you’re highly likely to do so in the future.”

Two syringes were injected into her neck in quick succession.

As the crushing pressure released, Bernike barely managed to lift her head and grit her teeth, but Seijis looked at her indifferently.

“What did you inject?”

The Scholar-nim took out a remote control, meaningfully held it out, and continued his explanation.

“The first injection was Cerebromite, a brain-nerve parasite. The original version merely causes seizures at most, but the one I just injected is a variant genetically engineered by Arcsight, commissioned by Laplacia. By now, it should have ascended to your brain via your carotid artery. It activates when I send a signal with this remote control. As an expert, you can probably guess the results.”

“You’re crazy?”

“I’m not finished explaining. The second injection is a nanosite bomb. It’s an item used by the Obsidian Legion, with built-in tracking and electric shock functions. Furthermore, the moment I press this button… compressed magic will immediately be released, reacting with the material and causing an expansion reaction inside your throat.”

“Do you think I’ll listen to you just because of this? Huh?”

“I am certain you will.”

Seijis gazed at her with calm eyes and pulled out a new document, extending it.

“Sign this.”

“That’s a classified security spell document!”

Bernike snarled, as if utterly disgusted.

“If you’re going to do this anyway, I’ll ask just one thing: who exactly is behind you? Who the hell ordered this insane act?”

Seijis’s answer was immediate.

“You are.”

Your future self, that is.

**

Thirty minutes later, the Violets, who had been suffering from boredom, perked up at the sound of the temporary interrogation room door opening.

Violet, who was about to greet the Scholar-nim walking out of the door, was startled.

Professor Bernike, who was nothing short of arrogant, was stomping out behind him like a child who had been scolded by their parents.

“…You, I will never leave you alone once this is over. Understand?”

“That’s all for today. For now, please follow this child.”

Strangely, even while grinding her teeth in anger, the professor meekly complied with the instructions.

“Scholar-nim, why are you entrusting that professor to us of all people? What’s Laplacia anyway? Besides, she figured out who we are. What about that?”

“Don’t worry, she won’t be able to leak it. First, Violet, escort Professor Bernike for now. It’s highly likely that Laplacia will target the professor.”

“Sounds like a bitter rivalry.”

“It’s a complicated relationship. Chairman Raihan dislikes the professor. Oh, and there’s an additional fact you should know.”

“What is it?”

Violet was utterly astonished by the Scholar-nim’s subsequent words.

“Chairman Raihan and Professor Bernike Brodman are cousins.”

In that moment, Violet understood. Why she had always felt a creepy sensation when seeing the professor.

“Hiiieeeek!”

The Violets shrieked.

“It’s the evil ponytail!”