Ch.301301. Astrid

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Elnore and the Chancellor didn’t seem to know exactly what I was doing inside, but they clearly understood what consequences my actions had brought.

“So please think about the aftermath before you-!”

“Your body isn’t yours alone! Would you please remember that there are many people worried about you-!”

“…”

Just look at how I’ve been lectured for over three hours since returning to my quarters that evening.

Despite usually not getting along well with each other, their teamwork when scolding me is nothing short of fantastic.

When one closes their mouth, the other steps in to verbally beat me down, passing the baton back and forth in perfect harmony.

“…I’m sorry.”

As I mutter those words in an exhausted voice, the two who had been fuming angrily seem to calm down.

The topic shifts to something more constructive.

“…Do you think you can win?”

“…”

To Elnore’s solemn question, I have no response except silence.

[…So you picked a fight without being confident you could win?]

‘No, it’s not that I lack confidence…’

It would be more accurate to say I know nothing about my opponent.

Unlike previous adversaries whom I somehow managed to crush through information advantage, I know almost nothing about the Demonic Spire.

On this matter, Baron Bogart probably knows more than I do.

If there’s anything fortunate:

“I know the method they’ll use to challenge me.”

“Method?”

According to Professor Astrid, they aim for ‘data measurement.’ Apparently, the more intense the situation, the better they can measure the magical energy stored within me.

“…We’ll fight, probably.”

The professors have prepared a ‘stage’ for me.

All I need to do is be thrown into it and face the ‘opponent’ they’ve prepared.

It should work out somehow, right?

“…”

“…”

Hearing my words, both Elnore and the Chancellor simultaneously clutched their foreheads.

“…Let me get this straight.”

“Yes.”

“They’ll designate a combat target to draw out your magical energy, and you have to fight it.”

“Yes.”

“You’re saying you’ll engage in a life-or-death battle with an opponent created by an organization capable of fighting the entire continent, specifically designed to counter a ‘demon.'”

“…Yes.”

“…”

The Chancellor and Elnore’s eyes narrowed simultaneously.

No.

I’ve managed somehow until now.

It sounds a bit difficult just hearing about it, but surely it’s not impossible—

“Is that what you call an explanation-!”

“So please think about the aftermath before you-!”

Three more hours.

Not just scolding now, but physical discipline too.

Fortunately, there was a saving grace from this endless hell of nagging.

“Excuse me. Is Darwood Campbell in—”

The cyborg who knocked and entered froze in place.

Well, the scene inside was rather bizarre.

“…”

“…”

Alpha, seeing me caught in a simultaneous cobra twist from both the Chancellor and Elnore, paused briefly and scratched his cheek.

“Should I perhaps come back later?”

“What?”

“I’m prepared to respect whatever nighttime preferences others might have—”

“…Just come in.”

It took quite a while for the confusion to settle and for everyone to begin conversing in a civilized, gentlemanly manner.

“What brings you here? I doubt you’ve come to mock me before my difficult task.”

When I asked with a slightly thorny voice, Alpha tilted his head and replied.

“Where’s that hostile interpretation coming from?”

“You must have known this would happen. Seeing how you let me in without a single warning, you seem to have been complicit to some extent.”

“I did warn you. That you wouldn’t see anything pleasant in there.”

“That didn’t seem to imply such direct friction.”

In reality.

This person must have had some idea about the situation I would face.

Given my track record, he couldn’t have failed to anticipate this outcome.

Just look at how Astrid jumped in immediately with talk of ‘data measurement’ as soon as an opening appeared.

In other words, this cyborg and Professor Astrid ‘guided’ this situation from the beginning.

If so.

“…What are you plotting?”

A gloomy voice escaped from me.

Being dropped into a situation orchestrated entirely by others isn’t particularly pleasant.

I need at least fragments of information to prepare some countermeasures.

“From the looks of it, you don’t seem likely to tell me easily, so I’ll just—”

“But I will tell you?”

“…”

Alpha’s immediate response left me dumbfounded.

Well now.

That’s surprisingly forthcoming.

“…If you were going to explain so easily, why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?”

“There were circumstances.”

“…Circumstances?”

“That’s probably not all you’re curious about. You must have many questions about Professor Astrid. Why she never visited despite being alive and well, why she’s showing her face so shamelessly now, and so on.”

“…”

Indeed.

These are all things I’ve wondered about.

Over my silence, Alpha continued.

“I intend to provide answers to those questions as well.”

After saying that, Alpha slowly rose.

“Professor Astrid is looking for you.”

The moment I heard that name, my face immediately frowned, and another calm statement dropped before me.

“Let’s go together.”

●

“…Hmm…”

The research wing used by the Demonic Spire professors has a very peculiar structure.

Actually, calling it a ‘wing’ is somewhat misleading.

As lunatics capable of creating a floating fortress in the sky, the space allocated to each professor is equivalent to two massive buildings combined.

And inside, scenes like abstract paintings drawn with twisted imagination fill the space.

An artificial ‘ecosystem’ that feels like a separate world. Inside, creatures that appear to be combinations of two different species roam freely.

Dogs mixed with cats, lions mixed with elephants, seals mixed with sea lions…

“…”

At least there don’t seem to be any research subjects using ‘humans,’ but even with animals, I can’t help feeling uncomfortable at the sight.

It certainly reinforces the thought that my mother is indeed a professor at the Demonic Spire.

‘—As expected.’

I can’t possibly like this person.

“Not as dramatic a reaction as I expected?”

While walking along the corridor, looking through the glass windows at such scenes, Alpha smiled and made that remark after observing my reaction.

“Reaction?”

“Usually, people who come here either get terrified or vomit. It’s clearly not a natural sight.”

“…”

Looking at the scene, I can understand why.

Some of the things here seem harmful to mental health just by looking at them.

“Professor Astrid is particularly excellent in bioengineering within the Demonic Spire. The fact that these creatures can survive stably is itself a remarkable achievement.”

“Is that so.”

I respond curtly while looking around.

To me, it looks like nothing more than a mad scientist’s exhibition of perverse taste.

“Well, this is actually among the most modest research wings.”

“…This is?”

“Definitely. You can take my word for it. At the very least, Professor Astrid has always adamantly refused to use people as research ‘materials.'”

“…”

As expected of the Demonic Spire.

It fully deserves its reputation as a den of lunatics.

“And, at least in Professor Astrid’s case, she didn’t choose to conduct research that throws ethics into the gutter.”

“…”

There are two points to question in that statement.

One is how I’m supposed to believe that.

The other is that apparently all the other professors’ research, which looks even more horrific than this, was done ‘by their own choice.’

“…This place is more garbage than I thought, isn’t it?”

“That’s an incredibly brave statement to make in front of a Demonic Spire associate, but I can’t deny it.”

The Demonic Spire is tainted with evil.

Alpha’s words when I first set foot here suddenly echo in my mind.

Meanwhile, as we reached the end of the corridor, an automatic door slid open.

Inside appears to be some kind of control room for this research wing. Various control panels and electronic screens displaying figures are visible.

But among those things, what clearly stands out is:

“…”

‘Human fragments’ floating in test tubes, whose presence here is inexplicable.

Eyes, brain, various organs preserved in what look like cultivation vessels, floating in solution.

“…”

Honestly, I didn’t have much of a reaction to those crazy scenes earlier.

But this—even I feel dizzy. I think I might throw up.

“Why did you bring me here?”

The resentful tone in my voice toward Alpha is probably a natural response.

“The person who supposedly called me isn’t even here. Calling me to a place with such horrific things hanging around.”

“What are you saying? They’re right there.”

“…?”

What on earth is he talking about?

There’s nothing here but nightmare-inducing objects that look like organs harvested from a living human and preserved in liquid. Where is there a person—

“…”

No.

Wait.

Just a moment.

I stand still, staring at those ‘dissected fragments’ of someone.

“…No way?”

And before Alpha could answer.

The ‘brain’ in the cultivation vessel twitched.

As if it were still alive. As if it had ‘activated’ for something.

And simultaneously.

A mechanical device rose from the floor in front of the cultivation vessels.

It’s a voice synthesizer. As if made to convey the words of someone who can no longer speak.

-Hello, son.

A familiar voice.

The same voice that often came from the steel giant who introduced herself as Professor Astrid.

-…Not a pleasant sight, is it?

“…”

Good heavens.

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