episode_0051

The situation concluded like that.

The demon that had reigned over Belzen was executed following due process, and the remaining remnants within the facility also seemed to have been dealt with.

They struck without leaving a shred of mercy.

From the beginning, it was an infiltration solely for extermination, not for suppression or capture.

The members held no pity in their sword tips.

Before long, the black mages in the building were nearly annihilated.

“Currently, we have cleared labs 1 to 105. We believe there are no remaining enemies.”

“Were there any casualties on our side?”

“None at all.”

“As expected, you are competent. You worked hard, Neria Yang.”

“It is thanks to Commander-nim being with us.”

I was receiving a report from the Vice Commander.

Although I took care of all the highlights, she was the one who practically commanded this Belzen extermination operation.

While I was confronting the demon on the lowest floor.

Neria led the members and steadily took over the research facility.

She was truly an excellent talent.

“We have rescued all trapped survivors. The total number of people was 71, and they have been transported to Astro’s directly managed medical facility for treatment. We plan to release them in the imperial capital later.”

“Good.”

“As instructed, all research materials found within the facility have undergone the disposal process. Currently, we are setting fire to them so that no traces remain…”

The briefing continued calmly.

There seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary.

“And… this is the item you requested.”

Neria seemed to finish her report, then took something out from her pocket and handed it over.

It was a small case, about the size of a palm.

It seemed she had brought the item I had ordered.

“We found it in a nearby gorge. As Commander-nim said, it was buried beneath the ground along with giant bone fragments.”

“This is indeed the item I was looking for.”

Click.

After checking the contents, I put the case into my pocket.

It was an item needed for later, and thanks to our Vice Commander, I was able to get my hands on it easily.

I offered a brief thanks.

“Thank you, Neria Yang.”

“I merely did what was proper as one who serves.”

“That’s a commendable thing to say.”

“Everything as you wish.”

Neria silently bowed her head.

As I stroked her long silver hair as a gesture of praise, the girl’s breathing strangely hitched.

As if an electric current flowed through her.

“A soft gasp…”

Her chic demeanor was gone, replaced by a melting expression.

Beyond her silver pupils, a fervent desire shimmered.

Perhaps it was due to her exceptionally deep loyalty.

She blushed even at a simple touch.

“I’m proud of you.”

“……!”

The girl’s shoulders trembled.

Having elicited a satisfactory reaction, I then resumed my paused steps.

Neria stumbled as she followed behind.

My moving feet stopped in front of a certain iron cage.

There, Anne, who had regained consciousness, and Irene were sitting, leaning against the iron bars.

Both were covered with small blankets.

I smiled faintly and spoke to them.

“How are you both feeling?”

“I told you I’m fine… Do you even know how many times you’ve asked since earlier?”

“Even after hearing your answer so many times, I’m still worried.”

“……I’m perfectly fine.”

“I’m fine too! It doesn’t hurt at all!”

Anne replied bravely.

Now that she seemed to have fully woken up from her sleep, the girl radiated a bright atmosphere around her.

It was a sparkling, shining smile.

‘It seems there are no after-effects.’

Because while restoring their bodies, I also tampered with their memories.

The things they suffered in the chimera experiments.

They were wounds too heavy for a young child to bear for life.

After much thought, I arbitrarily decided to delete them.

Of course, all other memories remained as they were.

What I wanted to ease was the nightmare, not the courage the girl steadfastly held.

In a way, it was a white lie.

“I’m glad there’s no pain.”

“Thanks for worrying, handsome Oppa!”

“Handsome…?”

“Yes! You’re handsome!”

“Oh my… Now that I see, not only are you brave, but your eye for detail is also excellent. I think you’ll become a great writer.”

“Huh! How did you know my dream was to be a writer?”

“I have my ways of knowing everything.”

We chatted lightly.

After spending a short while, Neria, who was standing behind me, spoke.

“All clear-up is complete. It’s time to return now.”

“What about the other members?”

“They have already returned to the headquarters via the portal. We are the last ones.”

“Hmm… What about the handling of this research facility?”

“I have inscribed an explosion spell. It is set to turn into dust exactly 30 minutes from now.”

“Good. Let’s return.”

Whoosh.

As I spoke, a person hidden in the shadows appeared.

A woman with dark black hair.

She held a dagger in each hand.

She was the member who had greeted us first when we visited the headquarters last time.

Her lips, hidden by a mask, parted slightly.

“Commander-nim.”

“Lena Yang.”

“I’ve come to escort you.”

Crack!

As Lena stretched out her hand to the side, a blue ring formed in the air.

Soon, the surrounding space twisted, creating an entrance.

It was a door leading to the headquarters.

The fox, watching, muttered blankly.

“…You even have a spatial mage under your command?”

“They are Astro’s pride.”

“That’s a power only about a thousand people, or perhaps even fewer, possess on the continent.”

“Otherwise, how could I have arrived from the academy to this place, that long distance, in just one day?”

“You… the more I learn about you, the more terrifying you become.”

“Hehe, shall we move first?”

Just as we were about to step through the portal.

A faint sound from behind caught the girls’ sleeves.

It was the monsters’ cries.

Things that were once human, but could no longer be called human.

Anne and Irene stopped in their tracks simultaneously.

“……”

Sadness reached their ears.

Was it because they had been in the same predicament as those creatures just recently?

Their eyes wavered.

People who had endured the same hell.

It was an especially piteous sound.

Perhaps it was because they already knew there was no way to save them.

The girls gnawed on their lips.

Their expressions were pained.

“Hmm.”

This kind of ending isn’t quite right.

After a moment of thought, I then questioned the Vice Commander.

“Neria Yang.”

“Yes.”

“What is the number of chimeras trapped on the lowest floor?”

“Not many. Since there was a principle of incinerating failures immediately, it is presumed that the cages were emptied on a weekly basis.”

“So?”

“According to our confirmation, there are 13 of them.”

“That’s a tight number.”

To fix thirteen mutated beings, at least a month of struggle would be needed.

I let out a troubled groan.

In my sight, the fox was clenching her fists as if in frustration.

Her gaze was venomous.

‘Still.’

After coming all this way… it would be wrong to make them frown, wouldn’t it?

Children always look prettiest when they’re smiling.

“There’s no law saying a miracle can’t happen twice.”

I let out a soft remark.

“Vice Commander? We’ll take the chimeras with us. It might be dangerous, so let’s move them still in their cages.”

“As you wish.”

The members began moving the cages.

They didn’t know that I could cure chimeras. I had never shown them before.

But they followed the command without questioning.

They implicitly assumed I had a reason.

Their strong trust filled me with a strange sense of satisfaction.

The two individuals were staring blankly at the scene beside me. I lightly met their gaze.

And then I asked.

“Do you feel a little lighter now?”

Death cannot be reversed.

But if they haven’t died, it’s certainly alright to hope for a miracle.

“I hope today’s events don’t remain a nightmare.”

Because I am by your side.

At least as long as my hand could reach them, I wanted to protect those who were suffering.

It wasn’t anything grand.

It was just a small wish.

“Irene Yang.”

“……”

“If it can make you even a little less unhappy, I will gladly lend you my strength.”

The fox bowed her head deeply.

“……Why?”

Her voice was trembling.

She gnawed on her lips as if confused, and pulled out the question she had kept in her heart.

It was a frustration born from ignorance.

“Why… why would you do all this for someone like me?”

To the fox’s question, the snake answered simply.

With only sincerity.

“Because one must always take responsibility for what they have tamed.”

Although people had forgotten this truth, I still believed in it.

About taming.

About relationships and responsibility.

“Was that an answer?”

“……”

The fox did not answer.

She merely stared at me with her mouth closed.

Unable to delay any longer, I took each of their hands.

I led them towards the portal.

“Then~ let’s go back to our beloved home now!”

Their steps crossed the threshold side by side.

Thus, we escaped from a hell filled with the stench of blood.

***

We returned to Astro’s headquarters.

There was a lot of leftover work to handle.

As it was right after completing a rather large mission, reorganization was needed in several areas, so I planned to stay at the headquarters for a few days.

And the same applied to Anne.

“Whoa…! It’s super clean and spacious!”

Other survivors went straight to the hospital, but Anne came to the headquarters with us.

Because her physical condition didn’t require any special treatment.

Also, she strongly wished to stay by the fox’s side.

Thanks to this, the girl was able to set foot in the headquarters of the continent’s most secret organization.

“Awesome…!”

Anne bounced around excitedly.

“She really likes it.”

“Hehe, she’s at that age, after all.”

It wasn’t just the members who awaited us.

There were also small foxes.

The children, who had been lingering around after hearing Irene was coming, rushed towards us as soon as we arrived.

They were surrounded by fluffy tails.

“It’s Unnie!!”

“N-Noona…!”

“Did you come because you missed us again? Unnie is the best!”

“You came with Commander-nim again this time!”

Pure children who knew nothing.

The fox, who seemed to be momentarily choked up, soon warmly embraced her younger siblings.

“Yes… I came because I missed you.”

“Are these the younger siblings Unnie told us about? They’re super cute!”

A lively scene.

As I stood there with a contented smile, someone suddenly approached me.

It was a middle-aged man with red hair.

“Commander-nim, you’ve arrived.”

“Oh my… Our Head Chef has appeared.”

The Red Sword Saint, Kyle Strovane.

He was currently the man serving as the Head Chef at Astro’s headquarters.

“Hahaha! I wish I could have participated in the mission too.”

“That would be overkill. And wouldn’t it be better if the Head Chef was guarding the headquarters, so we could move around outside with peace of mind?”

“It makes me happy to feel appreciated.”

“It’s always true.”

It is because I trust him that I entrust the rear to him.

Kyle was that important of a figure within Astro.

And he would continue to be so.

I asked playfully.

“Nothing unusual happened, I hope?”

“Hahaha! How could anything unusual happen in a place I’m guarding?”

“So the title of ‘Star’ is truly exalted, isn’t it~?”

“Because it’s a name only those who reach the night sky can obtain.”

“Truly a trustworthy Head Chef.”

A brief back-and-forth continued.

I soon brought up the main topic.

I lowered my voice so that only Kyle could hear.

“Sir Kyle.”

“Yes, Commander-nim.”

“I have something to show the Head Chef.”

“What is it?”

“You will surely like it.”

“Your words make me even more expectant.”

His red eyes blinked with interest.

“When do you plan to show me?”

“It might be difficult today. It’s an urgent situation where I need to ‘recharge’ before I can show you anything.”

“Then…?”

“Let’s talk tomorrow. Come down to the training room.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Kyle obediently nodded his head.

I smiled slyly.

He probably couldn’t even imagine what I had prepared.

I pictured the Sword Saint’s face turning a shade of shock.

***

The very next day.

Astro’s headquarters training room. A spacious area set up for the members’ individual training.

Kyle stood in its center, looking at me.

“Hahaha! I’m excited to see what you’re going to show me.”

Other members were also present around us.

Since I had mentioned that it wasn’t something that needed to be just between the two of us, everyone was observing comfortably.

Most of Astro had gathered.

“……”

The gazes of the audience poured down.

Although I felt unnecessarily pressured, I calmly uttered my first words.

“Today will be a happy day… one where a promise is kept.”

“A promise.”

Kyle tilted his head.

He seemed to have no clue even from the subtle hint I’d dropped.

Well, that’s only natural, I suppose.

It wouldn’t be easy to remember a casual remark that just passed by like an empty word.

But it was fine.

“The tragedy from two years ago. The kin you lost during the Great Purge.”

“……”

“I’m talking about Sir Kyle’s daughter, who was abducted by the black mages.”

I recited the past.

Kyle’s eyes, which had been relaxed moments before, wavered.

Perhaps due to the wound that had not yet healed, his fists involuntarily clenched.

I calmly continued speaking.

“Didn’t I promise you once?”

Had he forgotten?

It was a remark I had made quite seriously.

-I don’t know how long it will take… but I will surely bring her back.

-The other half of the world you lost.

I stretched out my hand into the air.

Following my clenching fingers, a jet-black crack appeared in the air.

As if a glass pane was cracking.

Crack, crackle!

It was opening a sub-space.

Following the scene of it completely shattering, something that had filled its interior fell to the floor.

It was a mass of flesh easily ten meters long.

It let out a faint groan.

Hundreds of tentacles dangling all over its body writhed weakly, as if dying.

It was a grotesque sight.

“C-Commander-nim?! What on earth is this…?”

“Sir Kyle.”

This was the monster that had attacked the protagonist’s party in the ‘Abandoned Laboratory’ episode last time.

At the same time.

“Your lost daughter… I’ve brought her back, just as I promised.”

It was Kyle’s daughter.

“……”

The red-haired man was dumbfounded.

Behind his red eyes, astonishment settled.