Ch.8080. The Rat and the Scientist

Kathy glanced at Sonia as she entered the office and began to speak.

“I’ve already finished discussing that security chief Haspoon.”

The pharmaceutical company had agreed to remain silent about this matter.

Justification, power, information.

Kathy had the upper hand in every aspect.

They were already a company that controlled other businesses through investments and real estate.

With such a company monopolizing the water purification business as well, opposing them wasn’t even an option worth considering.

Besides, since Kathy had offered better land, they had no reason to refuse.

Therefore, it was safe to say that the pharmaceutical company’s project had been blocked.

“With this, we can consider their project to spread the virus across Western Europe terminated.”

Hearing this, Amon and Sonia breathed sighs of relief.

As if it were their own concern.

Seeing their reaction, Kathy smiled contentedly.

‘They pretend not to care, but they’re so kind.’

With that thought, Kathy continued.

“For now though, there’s a potential problem.”

“A potential problem?”

In response to Sonia’s question, Kathy nodded.

“Yes. A potential problem.”

They could consider the worst-case scenario averted.

But nothing in the future is ever one hundred percent certain.

There was still a possibility that they might accept Kathy’s proposal verbally but proceed with the virus distribution anyway.

“There’s a chance they might build the factory through our deal and then spread the virus later as if nothing happened.”

Of course, that would break their trust with Kathy, but what of it?

Such things were common in business dealings.

While such a future was indeed possible, Kathy deliberately chose not to mention this aspect.

The conclusion was that many uncertainties remained, and a fundamental solution was needed.

“We need someone to monitor them in that region long-term. Here’s the main point…”

Kathy’s gaze fixed on Amon.

Surprised by the unexpected attention, Amon was taken aback.

“Me?”

“No. You need to stay here. I’m just saying you should go there briefly.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to establish a Requetio branch. To monitor them and make sure they keep their promise. And while we’re at it, expand our water purification business.”

She wanted to create a service center.

A service center that would restore equipment treated with purified water while maintaining its maximum functionality.

This was a service only possible for a company that regularly produced legendary-grade purified water.

Amon understood Kathy’s reasoning.

“It would be risky to entrust this to someone else.”

It might be overconfidence, but this was quite a sensitive matter.

The person needed to know about the deal between Kathy and the pharmaceutical company, understand Kathy’s intentions well, and remain honest.

Even from Amon’s perspective, there was no one more suitable than himself.

“So, am I taking people from another branch, or finding someone locally?”

“You can find someone locally.”

“You mean just appoint some random person off the street as the manager?”

Kathy nodded.

Amon couldn’t help but put his hand to his forehead.

“The HR department is going to complain again.”

“So what? The people I appoint perform much better than those they recommend.”

“Director, you’re so cool.”

“Ahem.”

After this brief comedic exchange, the two reached an agreement.

The conclusion was that Amon needed to go to Western Europe.

When Amon mentioned he was heading to Western Europe, Sonia raised her hand enthusiastically.

“I want to go too!”

“What about your internship?”

“I can take a break!”

“What about your graduation credits?”

“Um… couldn’t I substitute it with field experience? If not, I just won’t graduate, whatever.”

“…”

He had nothing to say.

It was a statement only possible from someone who had no attachment to a diploma.

While others went to seminary to build their credentials, she went there solely to learn divine magic.

The diploma was nothing more than a souvenir to her, so she had no regrets about it.

Finally, Amon threw up his hands.

“Do as you please.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely graduate. I didn’t finish elementary, middle, or high school, but I should at least have a college diploma so I won’t be embarrassed in front of our son.”

“…? Son?”

“Or it could be a daughter.”

Kathy looked at Amon with suspicious eyes.

Amon crossed his fingers to make an X sign.

“Don’t misunderstand.”

“Well, it’s natural for couples.”

“That’s not what I meant… sigh, trying to deny it just makes it weirder.”

It was a peculiar situation where he felt he should deny something, yet shouldn’t—difficult to express in words.

Afterward, the three summarized their discussion.

Amon and Sonia would head to Western Europe to find a suitable candidate for the manager position.

It was a daunting task, like finding a needle in a desert.

Amon asked Kathy:

“Any hints?”

Kathy shook her head.

It was an expression with multiple implied meanings.

It could mean she couldn’t see the related future,

or that not revealing it would determine the world line,

or that relying solely on foresight wasn’t good.

There were many other possible interpretations.

Amon decided to trust her judgment and ask no further questions.

After finishing their conversation, Amon and Sonia left the office to prepare for their journey to Western Europe.

“See you in a few months.”

“Bring back souvenirs.”

“Sure.”

Kathy saw them off.

As the office door closed, Kathy was left alone.

She stared at the door through which the two had departed, thinking of Sonia.

And she murmured:

“I’m envious…”

The nest longed for a mate once again today.

*

Amon and Sonia arrived in Western Europe, specifically Paris.

As always, they traveled in premium class.

They enjoyed the comfort of Sonia’s honeymoon package, which had become familiar by now.

As soon as they arrived in Western Europe, they immediately began their mission…

Actually, they didn’t.

They needed at least some clue to begin their search, but they had absolutely no idea where to start.

The two decided to trust the power of fate and began by touring around like tourists.

The air in Paris was very dirty.

It was almost as bad as London, the symbol of smog.

In this city, filter-equipped lung surgery wasn’t an option but a necessity.

Amon and Sonia made do with masks as they wandered aimlessly through the city.

While wandering, Amon racked his brain trying to find a clue.

Like dusting off and oiling a rusty machine, he dug into his past life memories after a long time.

The first candidate that came to mind was…

‘A side quest?’

There was a similar situation in the game.

A quest to discover and stop a pharmaceutical company deliberately spreading a virus.

Being a side quest, you could accept it and ignore it without consequences.

However, from the moment you accepted it, the game would occasionally update you on the damage, stimulating your guilt as time passed.

If you stubbornly ignored the quest until the ending…

– “You turned a blind eye to the deaths of 328,451 Western Europeans. Congratulations, Adolf II.”

At the time, there was a flood of protests from the West saying it was too much to be compared to Nazis when they weren’t the ones who killed anyone, and the developers did modify that content, but that’s not the important part of the story.

What mattered was how the side quest was solved back then.

‘Let’s see…’

Amon traced through his past memories.

And his conclusion:

‘Rejected.’

The game protagonist only knew how to tear and kill.

Therefore, the quest content was about avenging some of the affected people, not stopping the virus spread.

The ending was upgraded to a somewhat unsatisfying “Still, you tried,” but it didn’t lead to a fundamental solution.

So the quest content wasn’t much of a reference.

Amon continued to consider candidates.

Helper NPCs.

‘No one useful.’

Most were dead, disappeared, or irrelevant.

Various artifacts or items.

There were no artifacts capable of stopping a deliberately spread virus.

‘Maybe seek help from an evil-aligned NPC?’

He briefly considered this but immediately rejected it.

The risk was too great, and Amon wasn’t confident he could leave such a person alone.

Numerous candidates flashed through his mind.

Meanwhile, Amon’s shoulder bumped into a passerby.

He must have been lost in thought, recalling his past life memories.

Amon instinctively checked the state of his wallet,

remembered the dimensional function of his coat and felt embarrassed,

then recalled the person he bumped into and turned to apologize.

“I’m sorr—”

Amon made eye contact with the passerby.

At that moment, a face flashed through his mind.

‘Would a comic relief character work?’

The image of a well-intentioned scientist appeared in his mind.

He was a London-born scientist,

he wanted to help many people,

and he was born with the talent to do so.

However, there was a reason he was a comic relief character.

Among many reasons, the word that best described the scientist was randomness.

His results had inconsistent effects and unintended side effects.

Because of this maddening randomness, people who wanted to enjoy Punk City like a roguelike game often sought out this scientist.

Amon had also been indebted to him in his past life.

And this scientist had the same face as the middle-aged man who bumped into Amon.

He wondered if it was just someone who looked similar, but the middle-aged man’s behavior confirmed his identity.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was in a hurry… Ring ring ring! Just a moment. The doctor has something to say.”

The middle-aged man suddenly made a phone sound with his mouth and then pulled a hamster out of his pocket.

He placed the hamster gently on his two hands and spoke to Amon in a solemn voice.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Henri Moire, and do you have time? I’d like to talk about you and your wife…”

“No, Doctor. She might not be his wife!”

“Ah, I apologize. Is she not your wife?”

Seeing the man alternating his voice by himself, Sonia was too stunned to say anything.

Watching this, Amon was certain.

‘It’s definitely him.’

The genius scientist who shared his personality with a rodent.

<Henri Moire & Dante>

It was indeed him.