Ch.41Light (6)

A holy silence falls over the laboratory.

The shadows that had been swirling violently have subsided, and only the metallic scent of blood brushes against my nostrils.

The fierce battle has finally come to an end.

“……”

In my arms lies a blue-haired girl.

Perhaps her tension has eased.

She who had been beautiful with her rippling snow-like appearance now seemed to have lost consciousness, having used up all her strength.

Her faint breath brushes against my collar.

“You must have been tired.”

Her eyelids are delicately closed.

After savoring the warmth of her body against my chest, I slowly lower the girl to the floor.

Being careful not to wake her from her sleep.

Beside her lies the owner of pink hair.

She too has lost consciousness.

Though both were covered in dust, they didn’t appear to have any injuries.

That was somewhat reassuring.

“Even though I secretly took precautions… I couldn’t help but worry.”

I form a bitter smile.

Although I knew they wouldn’t get hurt because of the safety measures I’d put in place, I had still been anxious the whole time.

Anxiety has always been an adult’s affliction.

“It seems my worries were unnecessary.”

The children had performed beyond expectations.

Despite the terrifying situation, not one of them acted selfishly.

Feeling touched, I stroke the foreheads of both girls.

My whispered words are tinged with affection.

“You both did well.”

The Manipulator and the Vain One.

Roles played to perfection.

Though many challenges await them in the future, this was a moment that called for rest.

I cover them with shadows spread like a blanket.

“May you have pleasant dreams.”

Snap-!

I snap my fingers.

As space twists in an instant behind me, a modest barrier forms around the children.

This should be impenetrable even if the dean of Gallimar were to come.

“Though I said it was over… I still have personal matters to attend to.”

I brush off the pitch-black residue from my fingertips.

Quite some time has passed since we arrived at the laboratory, so the academy will soon track down our location.

About 30 minutes of time remaining.

It’s a bit tight.

Considering the episode that would follow, I needed to build up sufficient groundwork here.

With concern on my mind, I turn my head.

<Ugh… Aaah>

In my sight is a grotesquely writhing form.

Though its body was cut in half and not a single tentacle could move properly, it was somehow still alive due to its characteristic tenacity.

It seemed that if left alone, it would soon breathe its last.

<Ah, aaah…>

Cries leak through its hideously gaping mouth.

The red pupil blinks one last time. In a way, it seemed tinged with sadness.

I quietly meet its gaze.

Rotten blood flows down like tears.

“……”

A monster that cannot smile.

Though it was the worst experiment created by Baob and a disaster-level chimera that caused numerous casualties.

“Poor thing.”

It was just one of many sacrifices.

Mutated by unwanted experiments, having lost its original reason, and becoming a being that craves slaughter.

How could one not pity such a miserable life?

“This is truly the ugliness brought forth by adults.”

All the mutants I encountered today were based on animals, but this monster was different.

It was the only chimera that used a human as its material.

The tattered skin covering it.

Originally, it must have been a purely smiling girl.

She became a monster before even reaching the age of ten.

If she wasn’t given the chance to forget her childhood, what adult in the world could blame her?

I could only pity her fleeting, broken life.

‘I should keep my promise.’

I quietly extend my hand.

Shadows creep up from the floor. They engulf the severed form.

The monster seems to struggle for a moment.

Then, resigning itself, it disappears into the darkness.

I placed her in a subspace.

Here, she won’t be seen by others and can rest in peaceful silence.

And I can retrieve her whenever I wish.

“…Heh.”

Though my mood has soured a bit, I swallow it.

A bitter smile colors my lips.

Not much time remains.

It was time to wrap up this episode.

I take calm steps.

Leaving the chaotic laboratory, I begin to traverse the long corridor once more.

I move my feet towards my destination.

‘Let’s see your face.’

Deep, dark basement.

Looking for the rat hiding somewhere.

***

Meanwhile, at the lowest level of the basement.

A hidden room that can only be reached after descending seven maze-like staircases.

A man stands there.

Crash-!

A rather loud noise echoes.

The man was hurriedly gathering documents scattered on the desk, preparing to leave the laboratory.

Between his disheveled robe, a pale face is visible.

“Damn it…!”

A rough curse escapes.

His thick voice trembles uncharacteristically.

His hands, fumbling and unable to find what he needs, clearly revealed the man’s state of confusion.

As if trying to escape from something.

“How can such a being exist…?!”

He mutters, filled with fear.

When he received this mission, he was not informed about such a monster.

He thought it was a simple task.

“Shit! This doesn’t make sense…!”

Originally, it was nothing special.

Stealing a teleport prepared through a secret route.

Using it to kidnap a person.

The target was a female student rumored to handle a wyvern as her familiar.

-She’s worth researching.

-Chimeras using dragons as materials have been rare… she would be a great stimulus for our believers.

-We should offer that child to our god.

He was given permission to do as he pleased with the two additional students.

The man accepted the mission with joy.

It was an opportunity to feed “the masterpiece” directly.

Students despairing before numerous tentacles.

Imagining them being torn apart by soft flesh sent thrilling pleasure down his spine.

The man had anticipated such a magnificent scene.

But.

[My, my… what a critical moment this is.]

A boy who appeared with a playful tone.

With a light gesture, the numerous tentacles were instantly cut off.

What had happened?

Before he could grasp the situation, this time a blue line was drawn in the air.

Immediately after, the massive body was helplessly severed.

“Where did such a monster come from…!”

The finest masterpiece created by Belzen.

The top-tier chimera was cut down without even being able to exert its strength.

It was strength beyond the norm.

The monster, which even renowned heroes of the Empire found challenging, was overwhelmed by a mere novice student.

It didn’t bode well.

[Hehe.]

Moreover.

The meaningful smile while gazing at the screen.

It was an ominous smile, as if he knew he was being watched.

The man felt something was wrong.

A chilling sensation that explicitly ran down the back of his neck.

It felt like something bad was about to happen.

The man immediately prepared for escape.

He planned to escape through the emergency stairs connected to the hidden room.

Since no one except the manager of this place could find this location, he didn’t have to worry about being chased.

“I need to return to headquarters immediately.”

He had to inform the leader about this.

That such a powerful being was hiding among the students, and perhaps the informant had betrayed them.

The man rose to leave this ominous space.

The next moment.

“I must quickly inform the leader about this…!”

“You seem busy?”

“……”

A voice comes from behind.

The man froze in place, feeling his mind go blank.

Clearly.

There had been no presence.

“……”

“Where are you rushing off to?”

A leisurely voice brushes against his ear.

Turning his creaking head slowly, he sees the golden snake he had just been watching on the screen.

Had he suddenly appeared out of thin air?

The boy smiles with his eyes, nonchalantly.

Though it was a frivolous smile, alarm bells were ringing wildly in his head.

If he didn’t move now.

He couldn’t avoid death.

Instinctively, he channels mana to his fingertips and unfolds an attack spell.

But.

“An interesting attempt.”

Snap-!

As the sound of snapping fingers echoes, the magic on his fingers disappears.

Simultaneously, all his muscles stiffen.

As if intoxicated by a paralyzing effect.

The man can’t even blink on his own.

“I have many questions.”

The snake flashes a smile.

But a terrible killing intent swirls around.

“You will have to answer a lot to me.”

The boy’s palm covers the man’s face.

The chillingly cold temperature collapses reason and creates a distant fear.

The snake murmurs.

“There’s no need to bother moving your mouth.”

Brightly shining white pupils.

The boy stares with his eyelids fully open. An indescribable sense of deprivation weighs down on the man.

It resembled the gaze of a death god.

The gaze that stares at a sinful soul about to be taken.

“I intend to hear the answers directly from your brain.”

“Ah…”

Snap-!

Once again, the sound of fingers snapping echoes.

Immediately after, the shadows covering the man’s face cause a massive explosion.

In the fading consciousness, the last scene that remains is.

“Then, sleep in your nightmare.”

A coldly contemptuous white eye.

***

After some time had passed.

Several people burst into the basement that had been quiet for a while.

They were none other than some of the professors from Gallimar.

“Find the students first!”

Students who disappeared with the runaway magic circle.

Though detection was delayed due to distorted mana, they were able to calculate the teleport’s destination through swift action.

Two hours after the disappearance, they located the children.

All available personnel executed an instantaneous move to that point.

They step through the corridor with urgent footsteps.

As the professors continued their search, they soon discovered two students lying on the laboratory floor.

Pink hair, and blue hair.

“Students are here!”

“Lezia Pillots and Ameila Venatti. They appear to be two of the three missing students.”

“Where is the remaining one?”

“I’ll search the surroundings further!”

“No, more importantly… what are all these scattered things?”

“…Animal corpses?”

The professors who entered the laboratory couldn’t help but be bewildered.

It was because of the chaotic scene.

Two unconscious students.

Unidentified chunks of meat splattered all around.

Wolf, spider, tentacles… numerous corpses of creatures that seemed to be combinations of all sorts of organisms.

The professors were dumbfounded.

“…What is all this?”

“……”

“What on earth happened here…?”

It was a space that evoked terrible imaginations.

What did the students experience during their 2-hour stay here?

As they were just casting futile glances.

Thud, thud-.

Footsteps coming from somewhere.

Perhaps due to the sudden presence, the professors reacted sensitively and took their positions.

After waiting for a moment with bated breath.

Suddenly, a sticky voice whispers in their ears.

“My, my… you all arrived a bit late.”

Gazes concentrate.

Emerging from the deep darkness is none other than the golden snake.

Narrowed eyes smiling ominously.

“It’s already too late.”

A particularly meaningful statement.

Though it was the appearance of the last student they were looking for, the professors found it difficult to relax.

There was an eerie feeling that kept choking them.

“……”

The professors unconsciously swallow dry saliva.

Regardless, the boy approached them with leisurely steps.

“Hmm~ There’s no need for everyone to be on guard.”

“……”

“The situation ended a while ago.”

With the background drenched in the smell of blood.

The snake flicks his tongue as if amused.

“Please, be at ease.”

A greeting that made the basement’s temperature even chillier.