Ch.326326 – Private Operation

<326 – Private Operation>

Papa was more perceptive than I thought.

He actively participates in evil.

No, beyond mere participation, he creates evil himself.

He raises the world’s tension level on his own and leads the “Age of Peace” toward the “Age of War.”

The three great evils that trigger the collapse of peace.

The Empire’s “Revolutionary,” the Gods’ “Agent,” and the Organization’s “Leader.”

Among them, the Chairman, who holds the position of Leader, had remarkably exceptional insight into people’s hearts, befitting a supervillain who would transform the world’s fate.

“Eh~ So that’s what fishing was about?”

“Hoho. Pretending not to know? How cute. Children’s worlds naturally revolve around themselves. It’s not strange to escape by avoiding difficulties right in front of you.”

“How many fish did you catch? I caught 85!”

“I don’t care about the small ones. I prefer trophy fish. If we’re only counting the big ones, I’d say one black fish, or perhaps two?”

He’s looking directly into my eyes.

Those eyes pierce through and confront my inner thoughts without hesitation.

Saying he knows my intentions.

That my effort is commendable but already failed.

Papa is quite troublesome.

I even fooled Sing completely, but perhaps it was too much to handle one of the three great evils.

“Were you not satisfied with the Foundation’s work?”

“It was convenient!”

“Exploitation is always possible for both parties. That is, if you don’t have the means to force the other party.”

“Then next time I’ll find a way. Just like how Papa used promises!”

“Hoho. I’d like you to acknowledge that I’ve been quite lenient.”

“So is this the end of your support?”

“I made a promise, but I didn’t set a deadline. Today’s fishing was merely a gesture of gratitude for unknown knowledge. It was just a favor I bestowed.”

“Aw~ That’s a lie. It wasn’t pure goodwill or gratitude. You just wanted to observe how fishing ‘collection judgments’ work up close!”

Sing’s eyes, which lack perception but aren’t stupid, widen in real-time.

His excited expression and clenched fists revealed joy rather than negative emotions.

…Is he a bit stupid after all?

Even if Papa has completely seen through my plan, it’s not good to show it so obviously without getting anything in return.

Sure enough, Papa, whose sadistic tendencies have been stimulated, turns his arrows toward Sing.

“Sing, you’ve benefited greatly from making good friends. However, my offer still stands. If you follow the Foundation’s path, your revenge will be several times easier.”

“I don’t know the details, but I understand the situation has changed. Consider that offer withdrawn.”

“Hoho. How surprising. Is this loyalty toward my daughter? Well, after seeing the butlers who follow me, I can understand wanting to have your own butler. Just as I’ve been keeping an eye on your fishing.”

Papa wanted to make me his successor.

He wanted to align his everything, his perspective on the world, and his direction with mine.

But he was naive to me, a stagnant water.

I knew what awaited at the end of that path.

A path of certain defeat.

A step toward massive destruction.

Since I have no desire to become the master of ashes.

From the beginning, I couldn’t walk the same path as a member of the three great evils, the Chairman of the Foundation, Papa.

“Remember this. Now that you’ve rejected my goodwill, my ‘playfulness’ might be directed at you from now on. For instance, Sing might find himself visited more frequently by suspiciously strong assassins from the East.”

“…So if I don’t follow the Foundation, you’ll leak information to ensure I can’t even survive, let alone get revenge. That’s your threat.”

“Can you handle it? The possibility that my goodwill might turn into hostility. You’ve already seen and experienced it. How formidable the Foundation’s power is. Aren’t you afraid of a future where you become an enemy rather than a member of the Foundation?”

No expression appeared on Sing’s face.

But his hands revealed undisguisable fear.

That’s why he gripped his sword.

To shake off the fear.

A swordsman cuts away fear by gripping his sword.

Saying you are nothing.

That he will frustrate and crush your will.

Just as a swordsman draws his sword against injustice and evil, he took a drawing stance against this enormous evil that would crush him at any moment.

Even as butlers from all directions raised their auras, warning that the act of drawing could lead to death.

As if shouting that even at the cost of his own life, no one could force him.

“Relax!”

I lightly tapped Sing’s shoulder from the side.

If he actually draws his sword in haste, Sing, whom I’ve been raising together, would die.

That would be a huge loss for me, who promised to trust and raise him.

Losing a friend with whom I’ve done both affection and functional work would be too much time lost.

Just as a gym rat can’t stand muscle loss, a stagnant water can’t stand time loss!

“Hoho. Let’s end our fishing here. When do you plan to return to the Academy?”

“After watching the murder!”

“You seem to want to confirm the Foundation’s influence reaching the Academy. Hoho. Very well. I’ll allow you that far.”

The fishing ended.

The 20th floor of the tower.

When we came up to the quarters, Sing looked around cautiously.

“Is this… a safe space?”

“No one’s eavesdropping!”

“Phew. Then let me ask. What was all that about? Was it an act to deceive the Chairman?”

“Of course. I would never kill Zenya!”

“But you said Son Ocheon could die?”

“No Korean would mourn the death of a Chinese person, right? And no one would mourn Mein’s death either. Not all beastkin are the same race!”

Sing finally felt relieved.

“To say I believed in you… would be an exaggeration since I wavered too much. But I did feel something was off when I remembered the you I’ve known. Honestly, I was afraid of the Chairman. I wondered if he was really someone who could change a person’s heart so quickly.”

“Hmm~ Honestly, it was quite dangerous, right? If I hadn’t built up various resistances before coming here, I think even I might have fallen for it!”

“…What does that mean?”

“Sing might not know, but quite a few things happened~ During meal times, sleep times, after the cruise ship departed, during every hour we stayed in the tower!”

Of course, that’s natural.

No matter how much I call him Papa, the Chairman is still the Chairman, not real family.

Even though Papa truly wishes it to be so.

Honestly, it’s a bit disappointing that he chose brainwashing as his method.

[Detected <Confusion Drug> component mixed in the meal. Overcoming the drug’s effects through willpower alone.]

[Drug Identification Experience +5]

[Drug Resistance Experience +5]

[Willpower Experience +2]

[Detected status ailment <Bewitchment> component flowing from the bedside incense and counteracted the status ailment activation by lighting a different incense.]

[Situation Awareness +3]

[Willpower Experience +1]

[Overcame the <Slaughter Affinity> suggestion hidden in the banquet painting on the wall through self-power.]

[Curse Resistance Experience +1]

[Willpower Experience +1]

The attacks carried out through various methods—drugs, smoke-induced addiction, and even suggestions using paintings—attempted to gradually infiltrate my mind and body.

I actually tried to convince Papa by using aggressive language as if I were under their influence.

I thought I had succeeded beautifully, but who knew he would probe my true thoughts through fishing and catch my true intentions.

“Tsk. Papa has too much experience. Just like Professor Destroyer, he doesn’t have a single weak spot.”

“If it’s that serious, shouldn’t we avoid the incident the Foundation is planning to cause? I can’t help but think leaving the tower as soon as possible is the only sensible option.”

“It’s already too late. Besides, what’s meant to happen will happen anyway.”

“By what’s meant to happen… do you mean the <Criminal Organization> incident that’s supposed to happen in the second semester?”

Sing’s eyes widened as if he realized something.

“Beastkin Revival Movement. I remember beastkin were mentioned among the criminal organizations you talked about then. Is this related to the attack on the beastkin homeland you mentioned?”

“Yep! It’s the most brutal pattern among the inevitable wrongdoings, and the beastkin in that neighborhood are real thugs.”

By causing a murder case, we prevent such a criminal organization from daring to implement a large-scale disaster.

If we cause an incident big enough to extremely heighten the Academy’s security, it’s certainly possible.

“So I subtly suggested that if they’re going to kill someone anyway, they should kill someone from there!”

Countering the poison of the Beastkin Revival Movement with the extreme poison of the Foundation.

Crushing a criminal organization with the power of an even greater evil, one of the three great evils.

Actively practicing the saying “fight poison with poison”!

Sing gave a hollow laugh at Oknodie’s plan.

“Only the ones who die will be wronged. They’ll end up being crushed by the Foundation without knowing why.”