Ch.307307 – Time of Play

<307 – Time of Play>

In the chairman’s office of the Wiheomhae Foundation.

A wine tasting was in full swing at what would undoubtedly be counted among the most dangerous places in the world, where the most dangerous person resided.

“The Wine of Wailing, presented by <Monthly Gourmet Club> as thanks for our donation. Every sip brings the screams of souls swirling in my mouth—not an unpleasant taste.”

“…I’m glad you’re satisfied.”

“Would you like to try some?”

“I’m abstaining from alcohol, but I appreciate the offer.”

“Oh, that’s too bad. It’s not often one gets the chance to taste such a special wine and add it to their collection.”

Those who possess both wealth and power inevitably discover methods to become stronger in this world.

Item collection.

Weapons dealers collect weapons, monster hunters collect trophies from their kills, and art dealers collect artwork.

The chairman of the Wiheomhae Foundation possessed wealth and power on an entirely different scale from ordinary collectors.

His collection interests weren’t limited to a single field but expanded across various domains with diverse collections.

“Acquiring existing items is simple, but beyond a certain level, one begins to seek new collectibles that have never existed before. In that sense, this wine has considerable value.”

As he swirled the liquid in his wine glass, small skull-shaped souls appeared and disappeared like smudges on glass.

“A wine of at least 5th-tier crafting difficulty, requiring considerable torture techniques, kidnapping skills, soul extraction, and winemaking expertise. It’s an atrocious drink that can only be glossed over with power. Another fitting name might be ‘The Wine of Power.'”

The Chief of Staff felt like he was going mad.

The screams and wails emanating from the wine glass that the chairman sipped with a smile were enough to chill one’s blood—what kind of mind could drink such a thing without flinching?

From the beginning, he wasn’t in his right mind to willingly donate to the Monthly Gourmet Club that would produce such an ominous wine.

“So, how is our spirited daughter faring with Papa’s trial?”

“I just received a report from the cruise ship. The ship’s destination has been changed to the mansion in the Querannia Islands, and there was a bloody incident involving an Apostle of Anlage.”

“Did Jona survive?”

The Chief of Staff couldn’t immediately grasp the intent behind the question.

Why would he ask this?

The chairman savored the moment of hesitation with the same gentle smile he wore while enjoying the Wine of Wailing.

The Chief of Staff found this unsettling.

He pondered why the chairman had first inquired about Jona’s survival status.

Why Jona’s survival was most important when half the crew had died.

Why Jona took precedence over Oknodie, whom he had invited.

This was because there was a significant difference between Jona’s survival and death.

What was the difference?

Jona had already experienced his young lady’s death several times.

He had even dared to oppose the Foundation to save her.

If Jona were alive, he wouldn’t stand by while Oknodie was harmed.

Conversely, if he were dead, Oknodie’s safety couldn’t be guaranteed.

“Jona, the two tails, the young lady, and all her friends are confirmed alive.”

Only after speaking did the Chief of Staff feel understanding dawn on him.

The Apostle of Anlage serves the God of Corruption.

To this evil deity who forcibly awakens people’s innate potential—Anlage—existing professions, daily routines, and efforts are irrelevant.

Their mission is to awaken new aptitudes that maximize a person’s value and force them to follow this path.

To transform one’s life to follow their potential is the mission given to the Apostles of Anlage.

‘An Apostle who has obtained a sacred relic goes even further, arbitrarily changing the owners of bodies with potential.’

They reassign superior bodies and aptitudes to superior souls.

The exchange of physical vessels and spiritual souls is permitted because the god watches over them.

Jona Wiheomhae is not a man soft enough to allow a demon contractor to replace his young lady.

‘With just one piece of information, he could examine the most significant conflict and its outcome.’

The chairman had been aware of all these causal relationships and clashes of desire from the beginning.

He was the mastermind who designed this scenario.

This made him even more frightening.

This man—did he not have even a shred of affection for the child who called him Papa?

He had summoned Oknodie to a cruise ship where she might clash with such a dangerous entity.

“My, you seem to think I’m being too harsh.”

“I apologize for my presumption.”

“Haha. It’s fine. Apologies between us? That’s absurd. Aren’t we in a relationship where we’ve each tried to take the other’s life once?”

They don’t blame each other because they know there’s no trust.

Such a straightforward relationship made the Chief of Staff even more fearful.

A relationship without trust, dependence, or regret can end and be severed at any time.

There are no constraints in this relationship.

He doesn’t receive a salary.

Loyalty isn’t demanded.

What the Chief of Staff wants from the chairman is one thing:

To obtain an opportunity for revenge.

What the chairman wants from him is also one thing:

To observe the humiliating spectacle of a youngster trying to kill him while dancing in the palm of his hand.

The Chief of Staff’s very existence was merely an extension of the chairman’s amusement.

The chairman’s madness, which exploits even those who threaten his life, made no exception for the scholarship student Oknodie.

“The Wine of Wailing typically matures slowly over a long time. My taste isn’t for short, stoic distilled spirits, so you may rest assured.”

…Is that supposed to be reassuring?

Considering his usual character, it probably is.

Of course, it’s not reassuring at all.

How can one say “Thank you for making me anxious slowly” to a man whose taste is to inflict pain leisurely so that screams can ripen?

The Chief of Staff, uncomfortable with the chairman’s friendly smile directed at him, deliberately changed the subject.

“Did you think Oknodie would be safe from the Apostle of Anlage?”

“I wonder.”

His smiling face was clearly that of a gambler placing chips on words without expecting any particular outcome.

‘Is this for real…’

As always, to the dumbfounded Chief of Staff, the chairman closed his eyes with a somewhat shy, somewhat proud smile, savoring the outcome.

“If the child who fearlessly calls me Papa were broken by the Apostle of Anlage, that might satisfy me in its own way. An Apostle of Anlage who surpasses their limits and proves their worth as a new toy might qualify to be recognized as our new daughter.”

“Is that what you expected?”

“Of course not. I hoped more that a new toy would last longer than recycling one that has served its purpose. Oknodie has produced results beyond my expectations.”

“Given Jona’s temperament, the possibility of defeating the Apostle of Anlage was slim, so Oknodie must have done something remarkable.”

“Remarkable? Heh. You still don’t understand me as a person. While your obtuseness is somewhat endearing, is it appropriate for a Chief of Staff to be so stupid?”

Wrong answer.

This wasn’t the answer the man was looking for.

The Chief of Staff considered a possibility he really didn’t want to think about.

“Could it be… you were watching for that child’s ruthlessness?”

The chairman’s smile deepened.

“A strategy that doesn’t care if a thousand crew members die as long as they’re not friends. I don’t dislike a smart child who can distinguish between human resources and friends. Thanks to her, she achieved the feat of defeating the Apostle of Anlage.”

“But in exchange, she’s earned the enmity of a god by defeating their apostle. The God of Corruption won’t take this lightly.”

“Haha. A god’s toy with talent beloved by all 24 deities being hated? That’s too much of a joke.”

“…Do you regard Oknodie’s talent that highly?”

“That child can become anything she sets her mind to. She surpasses the hero in popularity and exceeds the Northern Grand Duchess in severity. Her charisma surpasses the heir of the Western Noble Alliance. She’s like a Joker that can be used anywhere in a deck of cards.”

“…What do you want to make of that child?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Nothing is as tedious as a predetermined answer.

The chairman’s face momentarily clouded with boredom.

A mistake.

A being who lives solely for interest.

The disasters that unfold to alleviate his boredom are no less terrible than the Dragon Principal’s <Play>.

Seeing the Chief of Staff tense up at his mistake, the chairman smirked.

“Parents naturally want their children to resemble themselves.”

The chairman injected mana into the report of Oknodie’s activities with a tap of his finger.

Following his gesture, a paper boat folded into the shape of a cruise ship plopped into the wine glass.

“Expensive screams that can be extracted with enough power may be rare but not unique. That’s the difference between rare and unique.”

“Only those who know how to distort the world for their amusement and enjoy it approach uniqueness.”

New items.

New collections.

The chairman’s eyes, hungry for new amusement, followed the cruise ship’s path as it appeared on the world map.

“I should reward my unique daughter who has successfully carried out Papa’s orders. After all, I can’t welcome her and the friends she’s brought to an empty mansion.”

“I’ll prepare a gate to mansion number 3 on the Querannia Islands within three minutes.”

The chairman of the Foundation.

The meeting between the world’s most dangerous man and the world’s most dangerous child was drawing near.