episode_0083

······What’s this? It’s a different reaction than I expected.

Nees, who thought that Stay would use the pretext of caring for three people to do something sneaky, felt bewildered by his departure with no trace of regret in his steps.

It’s understandable because the Stay he had seen so far was a man who knew nothing but how to do nothing, unable to even feed himself without begging.

Although he managed to treat the three people while doing bizarre things, that was all there was to it. If he could use such abilities in his daily life, there would be no reason for him to live such a life. Therefore, it was merely a miraculous event coincidentally aligned with the peculiarities of the situation; Stay’s abilities were nothing more than what I had investigated, just F-grade.

To him, the connection with the world-saving greatest heroes must be as valuable as a golden thread that must be seized.

Nees thought that Stay would lay a trap for the three people, providing them with a life where they wouldn’t envy anyone even if they picked up scraps to eat.

In reality, objectively speaking, Stay had no intention of using traps on the three people.

Because Stay was the benefactor who had released the curse of the three people, which no one else had even found the cause of, thus saving their lives.

Therefore, even if he received promised rewards, maintaining a connection with the three people was not strange at all for Stay, and there was even less reason to reproach him for the difference in human dignity.

“If he had resisted, I would have tried to subdue him by force or isolate him… I didn’t expect him to back off so easily.”

However, Nees reproached Stay about the difference in human dignity, that is, the value inherent in being human, and bid him farewell.

Before any coercion took place, Stay accepted his words and turned away, so although there was no forcibly sending him away, Nees’ intentions were clear, effectively making it no different from forcing him to leave.

“Well, from my perspective, nothing inconvenient happened, so it’s just as well.”

Even though there was no need for reproach, Nees severed the connection between Stay and the three people for one reason.

“Well, the nuisance is gone now. Shall we go pick up some tasty leftovers?”

Using the pretext of being responsible for the three people in their plant-human state, she intended to sever her ties with them by picking up the remaining Kongomul entirely.

“Lucky me. When I was pushed into this annoying task due to circumstances, I thought I would really lose my mind. I never expected things to resolve so smoothly.”

With the most cheerful steps of her life, Nees walked towards the hospital where the three people were hospitalized.

“No one probably knew that the three people would be cured, right? Those damn senior colleagues… If they find out I’ve made connections with those three, they’ll die of jealousy. Just by forming a relationship with them, promotion is practically guaranteed… Heheheh. Those juniors who used to ignore me, I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when they see I’ve become their boss.”

As a B-rank Awakener, a superior Awakener who could be called a transcendent being beyond human, her steps were light and fast, as if flying over the ground.

“Actually, I didn’t do anything during the resolution of this incident… ”

Having only been in charge of managing the three people, Nees suddenly realized that she hadn’t done anything for this whole affair, simply passing everything off to Stay, who had been chosen haphazardly, cutting off communication in the process.

“What, isn’t it the lower ranks who do the work while the higher-ups rake in the money? Rather than stuffing myself until my stomach bursts without even knowing the extent of my disguise, drawing the line like this first is actually a good thing for that guy too. He pays off his debt, I make connections with three people. It’s mutually beneficial!”

However, merely having the thought did not lead to any sense of guilt.

During her time working at the Central Intelligence Department of the Awakening Society, she had used all sorts of schemes and dirty tricks solely for her own advancement, so there was no room for conscience in her.

“What should I say to leave a good impression? Did I appoint suitable candidates for you? Did I put in a lot of effort to find someone with that special ability so that you could awaken, and ultimately succeed? Well… whatever it is, the fact remains that I recommended him. Leaving a good impression is easy.”

Arriving at the hospital, Nis had completely erased thoughts about Stay from her mind, focusing only on how to impress the three individuals to establish connections.

“Let’s sit next to them until they wake up. And as soon as they open their eyes, shed tears to show how eagerly you awaited their awakening. That will surely move them, as anyone would be touched. Then, if I list the things I’ve done for them, it will definitely leave a good impression, and that’s how I’ll establish a good relationship with Mei Louis, Mir Ryuin, and Dain Adamas, the world’s strongest heroes!”

With her plans laid out, a bright future began to unfold in Nis’s mind.

“Alright, I need to finish everything before the superiors arrive. The moment I contact them after waking up, even if I have to issue a wanted notice for teleporters, the right people will come immediately. Establish the connection perfectly and then make contact. …Yes, I should at least get their numbers, right?”

Simply by forming connections, the influence held by the three individuals in the room was superior to any hero in the world, paving the way for a solid future.

Knowing better than anyone the lengths she had gone to for success, Nis’s heart raced wildly as she opened the door to the room where the three were located.

Click.

“Huh?”

As Nis opened the door, she was met with the gaze of three pairs of eyes simultaneously focused on her.

Just when she expected them to still be asleep, Nis momentarily felt flustered by the unexpected situation. However, these women, who had risen from their beds despite expectations, were members of the Awakening Society’s Central Intelligence Department.

Trained to maintain composure in unexpected situations, even if facing circumstances different from what was anticipated, Nis quickly straightened her posture, keeping her surprise hidden, and swiftly began to speak.

“Congratulations on waking up! As this is our first meeting, you might feel surprised, so let me start with greetings! I am responsible for the protection and health management of Dain Adamas, Mir Ryuin, and Mei Louis…”

“Hey.”

“Yes, yes?”

Interrupting Nis’s polite and dignified greeting with a single syllable call, a summons that cut through her formalities.

The reason why Nis, trained not to show her surprise outwardly, fumbled with her words and displayed her astonishment externally was simple: contained within Dain Adamas’s voice directed at her was an undisguised enmity.

For Nis, who had experienced countless back-and-forth confrontations, the hostility from Dain Adamas felt like an inevitable death.

Against the archenemy of the world’s strongest human known as the Destroyer, only Awakening individuals of her caliber could stand a chance.

Each section is separated by a period to maintain the formatting:

Dain Adamas, possessing a caliber akin to that of a multi-awakened individual, could be counted on one hand in the entire world. Therefore, it was impossible for Nis, a mere B-rank awakened individual, to handle her adversary.

“But, buh-buh-buh, I-I am your… your…”

However, even if she couldn’t resist her adversary, there was a way for Nis to struggle in order to survive.

Nis involuntarily moved her trembling lips closer together and desperately responded to Dain Adamas’s question.

“Y-yes.”

“Eek?! Y-yes!”

However, this desperate answer only irritated Dain Adamas.

‘Why is she getting annoyed when answering my question?’ Such a normal thought was a luxury for Nis, who suddenly found herself at a life-or-death crossroads.

All she could do was to try not to provoke Dain Adamas, who was glaring at her with hostility, and pray that she wouldn’t stir up his emotions.

“Who are you… Why are you entering through that door instead of a Stay!”

Kugugung!

“C-Cough… Gulp!”

But when Dain Adamas’s subsequent roar shook the ward and rattled her insides, Nis realized that there was no way for her to leave this space alive.

By just shouting with emotion, by merely expressing anger, Nis, who had suffered visible injuries, felt blood trickle down her lips.

Am I going to die here? Is my life ending here…?

A moment of life and death where not even the tiniest glimmer of hope could be seen.

Dain Adamas’s rage paralyzed Nis’s body and mind to the point where she couldn’t even think about the injustice of why she was in this situation, leading her to the brink of giving up on life.

“Haa… Stop, Dain Adamas. Whether you’re angry or not doesn’t matter to me, but there are some questions I need to ask.”

Mir Ryuin’s voice, coldly observing Nis as she sat still, granted her a brief extension of time.

Having questions to ask meant that she could stay alive until she heard the answers.

Even though her mind was numb, survival instinct still lingered within her. Thus, Nis instinctively spoke up, choosing the best option for survival.

“Y-yes! Ask me anything! I’ll answer anything!”

If I answer well here, if my responses satisfy those monsters, maybe I can survive and get out of here! I must provide honest answers as much as possible! That’s the only way to survive…

“Where did ‘my Stay’ go?”

…Ah. It’s over.