episode_0108

“I’m surprised you came. Honestly, I thought there was about an 80% chance you wouldn’t show up.” ─After threatening to kill me so brutally. Instead of writing back, Subject 13 glared at Rahe, his gaze full of emotion. Rahe recognized Subject 13’s look, but quickly and intentionally averted her gaze again. This was according to the template for dealing with mind-control ability users; eye contact, along with speech, is a crucial trigger for mind control and should be avoided if possible.

“I’d like to ask. Is Apple currently under your control through hypnosis, brainwashing… or some kind of magic?” At Rahe’s question, Subject 13 tapped his finger on the chalkboard as if in thought. Then he wrote something on it and showed it to her. [Yes] The answer came back surprisingly readily. She had expected him to try to gloss over it, or at least stall while being sarcastic.

“Then, Club too?” [Yes] “…What about the other division members? Spade, or Check and Coco?” [That’s right] Good heavens. Could that be true? She had somewhat suspected it, but it was hard to believe it was actually the case. Leaving Apple and Club aside, for even veteran Check and Coco to have fallen… It was hard to believe in many ways, but she wasn’t severely shaken by it. This was thanks to her having mentally prepared herself to some extent, and her various experiences so far. However, Rahe frowned at the fact, as there was something more concerning to her.

“You’re surprisingly cooperative, aren’t you?” [You’re scary] At the frank written reply, Rahe smiled coldly. Whether he realized it instinctively or not, Subject 13’s response was correct. Otherwise, there was no telling how Rahe might have threatened him. At the very least, Rahe had no intention of holding back at this moment… ‘But he’s too compliant, which makes him suspicious.’ Still, she couldn’t believe that even Check and Coco among the division members had fallen to him. It was possible it was just bluster. Rahe continued with a few more questions. Subject 13 responded to Rahe’s questions with simple [Yes/No] answers. Subject 13’s attitude was compliant, but Rahe also avoided asking questions that would be difficult to answer, apart from her initial queries.

[How did you figure it out?] “About Apple? Or the mind control? Either way, I’d say it’s due to ‘experience.’ Does that answer your question?” When Subject 13 asked a question midway through, Rahe also answered without much fuss, as if in return for his compliant replies. Providing information to an opponent was not very wise, but this much should be fine… As Rahe and Subject 13 took turns asking and answering each other’s questions, some time passed. Rahe instinctively knew it was time to move on.

“Subject 13. There’s no need to test the waters anymore, is there? Shall we get to the point?” Rahe’s demeanor shifted once again. Just moments ago, the atmosphere between the villain and the hero had been somewhat amicable and light. But now, her aura abruptly changed, becoming solemn and stern. Her gaze held the oppressive power and bloodlust befitting a captain.

“Release everyone from the 7th Division. If you do, I will let you go unharmed.” *** As already mentioned, the situation was absolutely disadvantageous for Rahe. Since all the 7th Division members had been captured as hostages by him without her knowledge, she couldn’t help but be at a disadvantage. It didn’t seem difficult to kill Subject 13 here, but he probably hadn’t come here without any preparation. If she failed to subdue Subject 13, a great catastrophe would occur. Even if she succeeded in subduing…or eliminating Subject 13, there was no telling what his allies might do. In that case, the situation would worsen. Therefore, the best course of action was to negotiate with Subject 13 here and make him give up the hostages. However, Rahe had few negotiation cards that could satisfy Subject 13, who was a villain. And if what he desired was something a villain would want, it was highly likely that most of it could not be granted.

Naturally, in a power dynamic where she was clearly the weaker party, Rahe’s statement might sound reckless and foolish. It could even become a trigger that provoked the opponent, making him think she didn’t know her place or couldn’t assess the situation. However. Rahe was not a fool ignorant of the world, nor was she an incompetent commander unable to understand such power dynamics. She made such a statement because the situation demanded it. If she adopted a submissive posture because she was at a disadvantage, the situation would only worsen. That was why she intentionally adopted a high-handed stance, firmly demanding from Subject 13 as if she were in the stronger position herself. Of course, if anyone else had spoken like Rahe, they would have undoubtedly been laughed at and suffered a backlash. But because it was Rahe who was present, such a thing could be avoided.

“……Ugh…!” For a moment, Subject 13 felt something heavy settle on his shoulders. Or perhaps, as if a sharp blade had been pressed against his neck. He wasn’t physically attacked. It was merely an absurd surge of bloodlust and oppressive pressure emanating from Rahe as she stared directly at him. A terrifying, murderous gaze that seemed capable of killing a person just by looking at them. A momentum, like that of a tyrannical autocrat, threatening an immediate death sentence if her demands weren’t met, exploded forth from Rahe.

“I will say this again.” “Take your hands off everyone in the 7th Division. And swear that you will never interfere with the 7th Division again.” “If you do, I also swear I will not lay a hand on you or your organization.” Rahe reconfirmed her demands. Her statements, radiating such oppressive power, became a matter of course, no matter how arrogant or unreasonable they seemed. Normally, they would be illogical demands not worth considering, but if one let their guard down, they would find themselves nodding along. If Subject 13 had been a somewhat weak-willed ordinary person, he would have fainted from the sheer force of her momentum. Even a seasoned awakened individual would have had their mind go blank from her bloodlust and would have unconditionally complied with Rahe’s demands.

However. Subject 13 was, likewise, not an ordinary villain. He had lost his magic due to the whims of the stars, but hadn’t he once been a prominent villain who boasted of being the ‘strongest’? He was a veteran who had gained as much experience as Rahe by traversing various battlefields. Although he was in an unfortunate situation, reduced to pathetic trash who could do almost nothing on his own, his accumulated experience and courage from the past were undeniably real. Thanks to this, Subject 13 did not flinch, but bravely met Rahe’s bloodlust head-on. His gaze seemed to declare that although he was sure he would lose in two seconds if they fought, his spirit would never break first.

Rahe remained silent for a while, continuing to try and overwhelm her opponent, but when Subject 13 didn’t seem to be intimidated, she finally gave up and sighed. The oppressive aura didn’t disappear entirely, but it diminished somewhat.

“…It’s a shame. Threats don’t seem to work on you.” [That’s right. Give up] Subject 13 wrote briefly on the board and showed it to her. Rahe glanced back and forth between the board and Subject 13’s face, as if getting annoyed, and then sighed in resignation.

“Alright. If threats don’t work, how about a deal?” [A hero? With a villain?] “What else can I do? And there are plenty of instances where heroes have been forced to reach an agreement with villains and other criminals.”

Of course, for a rigid person like Rahe, she had never once made such an agreement with criminals nor tolerated them. But this time, her subordinates were at stake. It couldn’t be helped.

“Subject 13, tell me what you want. If it’s something I can grant, I will. It’s awkward to say myself, but I personally have quite a bit of money saved up from special achievement bonuses and national rewards. It’s a significant sum. If you want money, I’m willing to give all of it to you and your organization. I think it’s an amount you won’t regret accepting.”

At Rahe’s offer, Subject 13 tapped the board with his marker, just as before, as if deliberating. Subject 13’s silence this time lasted quite long. Was he taking time to think of what he wanted? The longer he pondered, the more Rahe glimpsed the possibility that a negotiation might be possible. It might work. She might be able to resolve it through negotiation. As she waited for his answer with anticipation, Subject 13 finally stopped deliberating and began to write something on the board. With surprisingly neat handwriting for him, he showed Rahe his demand.

[What I want, is you] “…You mean you want to control me, like you did with Apple?” [That’s right. If you do that, I’ll release your subordinates.] Rahe cast her eyes down, as if in thought. From a third-person perspective, there was no need to hesitate. Objectively, the value of one captain could never equal the value of an entire squad of division members. Division members could be replaced and utilized endlessly. But a captain-level individual was not easily found. Moreover, if a captain-level asset fell into the hands of a villain, it would become an even greater problem.

‘But…’ As Rahe pondered, Subject 13 suddenly wrote something additional on the board. [Not for life. Just for three days. After that, I’ll release you without doing anything else.] There were traces of something erased and rewritten in the ‘three days’ part. It seemed he had originally intended to write ‘a week’. It wasn’t becoming a slave for life, and if the period was set… it was worth considering. Furthermore, with only three days, there wasn’t much he could do to use Rahe for ill. Perhaps that much would be acceptable. It was an unpleasant thought to fall under a villain’s control, but it was for her subordinates.

“…Very well. Let’s do that.” Her deliberation didn’t last long. Rahe nodded, indicating her agreement.