episode_0199

Leaving the fallen No. 13 at her side, Violet leaned against the battered container box, momentarily surrendering to a sense of emptiness.

For some reason, she didn’t care anymore. Until this moment, her mind had been a jumbled mess, unsure of what was right and constantly agonizing over it.

Venting her emotions and exhausting herself had helped reduce unnecessary worries. Before coming here, she had felt like a tightly sealed gas canister, ready to explode at any moment.

Should she be thankful?

No, her pride wouldn’t allow it.

And No. 13’s behavior was far too presumptuous for someone supposedly loyal to their boss. …Ugh, she really didn’t want to forgive him. She would make him pay for his actions.

“…Haa.”

After shedding tears, blaming herself, and thinking things through, Violet felt much lighter.

And she had decided what to do next.

* * *

It was a while later that No. 13 regained consciousness.

Having repeated death and resurrection this many times was a first for him, so the burden must have been significant.

Frankly, No. 13 deliberately dulled his senses and tried to shake off the traumatic pain and memories of repeated deaths.

Then, he struggled to his feet and surveyed the situation.

His physical condition was fine. No lingering pain, and his resurrection was complete.

His magic was almost depleted. He should be grateful he survived, but to repeatedly kill him, even though she didn’t intend to actually kill him, until his magic was completely drained… Her heart was truly wicked.

“…You’re awake, No. 13?”

“……Yes, well. Thanks to you, Boss.”

Violet glared at No. 13’s words.

But she sighed and got to her feet.

“So, I want to hear it directly. Do you have any excuses?”

“Ah… No. There’s no way I do.”

No. 13 himself thought his composure had been lacking.

Brainwashing the boss, of all things. Even if it was the only way, wouldn’t there have been a better method than forcing it like that? Something more rational… Yes, explaining and persuading Violet beforehand would have been one way.

Since he did such a thing, it was inevitable that Violet would be angry.

And even though they were close, what he did was unforgivable, even if he died.

He had no excuses. Really.

“…The drug, hand it over.”

As Violet reached out, No. 13 slowly placed the vial containing the brainwashing drug in her hand.

Violet carefully held it and examined the contents.

Without being asked, No. 13 explained how to use it.

“Soak it on a handkerchief and have them smell it. The effects start in about five seconds, and to be safe, have them smell it for 10 to 20 seconds… Monitor their condition while they inhale. It’s okay to have them drink it directly, but what’s in there is a bit concentrated, so you need to dilute it before they drink it. Otherwise, it’s too strong.”

No. 13 shrugged and continued.

“Well, I won’t resist anymore. It won’t make up for my sins, but please use it on me. And brainwash me so I can never rebel against Boss again. That way, Boss can rest assured, right? …If you’re completely disgusted with me, I have nothing to say.”

Now, No. 13 would become a truly loyal slave, never resisting Violet’s orders.

Becoming Violet’s property was, frankly, what No. 13 had hoped for.

After that… This time, he would follow Violet’s orders to the letter and bring Spade from the 7th Division. And he would make him devote his body and life to Violet.

“Go ahead, Boss.”

No. 13 could no longer resist.

Apart from his depleted magic and exhaustion, he no longer wanted to antagonize her.

So, he wished she would just put his mind at ease.

His eyes, filled with a subtle expectation, turned to Violet, who was looking at the drug with a serious expression.

Violet seemed to be contemplating. Then, she slowly opened her mouth.

“【Dilute, by a factor of ten】”

It wasn’t just words, but an incantation imbued with magic.

And the color of the brainwashing drug exposed to the incantation visibly faded.

In her hand, she held a vial of diluted brainwashing drug.

Violet looked back and forth between it and No. 13, then sighed and said,

“……If you do anything perverted, I’ll kill you.”

Then she muttered something incomprehensible.

Suddenly, she downed the contents of the vial herself.

***

“Boss?!”

No. 13’s call was useless.

With that sudden action, Violet quickly drank the contents of the vial, then frowned and took the vial away from her lips.

The effect was immediate.

In a few seconds, her body staggered, and the vial in her hand fell to the floor, rolling and spilling its contents.

No. 13 rushed to support Violet.

Empty eyes. A body limp like a doll with severed strings.

It was a state he had seen many times, the appearance of someone in a hypnotic trance.

He waved his hand in front of Violet’s eyes. Her hand was waving in front of her eyes, but she didn’t respond.

Her eyes barely blinked, and the occasional trembling of her eyelids had now completely ceased.

The brainwashing drug had certainly taken effect.

A powerful drug that could quickly bring down an opponent even when soaked on a handkerchief and vaporized.

Even though it was diluted to one-tenth strength, drinking it directly would undoubtedly have a significant effect.

“…What have you done….”

He muttered without realizing it, but quickly shut his mouth.

It would be clumsy to verbalize her decision.

What he needed to do now was to think about what Violet was thinking and wishing for when she acted this way.

She had entrusted the aftermath to No. 13.

No. 13 had a responsibility to live up to her expectations.

After contemplating for a moment and thinking about Violet’s ‘expectations’ for about ten seconds.

After a moment of silent contemplation, he opened his mouth with a somber expression.

Violet had been repositioned by No. 13 to face him.

“…Violet. Follow my breathing. We’re catching our breath. Slowly… slowly.”

First, breathing. He would relax his opponent by repeating long, slow breaths.

He had often used brainwashing as a means, and more recently, he had been taking lessons from Apple, an expert in hypnosis and brainwashing.

He was still inexperienced, but he thought he was steadily shedding his amateur status.

With his brainwashing skills now a step above amateur, No. 13 further opened Violet’s mind.

With the help of the brainwashing drug, Violet quickly fell into an even deeper hypnotic state.

“Violet, Violet. I’m going to ask you some questions now. Violet, just answer my questions as they come to mind. You don’t need to think deeply. No worries, no need.”

No. 13 told Violet as if urging her, and then he asked her a question.

“Violet—do you still hate Spade?”

Violet stared blankly at No. 13 for a moment in response to his question.

Then, she slowly nodded in agreement.

Words that weren’t proper language, such as “Ah… uh…” came out of her mouth.

However, it was easy to guess that they were words of resentment and dissatisfaction toward Spade.

“Because he’s your sister’s enemy?”

She nodded again.

“Is there any way… you can’t forgive him?”

“…Can’t….”

Violet finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

But perhaps because her thoughts were dulled by the brainwashing drug, she couldn’t speak properly and only made sounds like “Ah… Uh…”

Well, I guess so.

That’s why Violet drank the brainwashing drug herself and entrusted herself to No. 13.

“…This is troublesome….”

It was troublesome, but he had been entrusted with her expectations, so he couldn’t help it.

Now, all that was left to do was to erase the angry feelings towards Spade from her mind with No. 13’s improved brainwashing techniques.

By the way, ‘I’ll kill you if you do anything perverted,’ how little trust did he have?

No matter what, he wouldn’t do such a thing without noticing the situation.

No matter how perverted No. 13 was, he wasn’t so clueless that he didn’t understand the atmosphere. More than that, if he did such a thing and got caught, No. 13 would really die this time.

So, he wouldn’t do such a foolish thing.

Hurry up and fix the memories in Violet’s head and wait for the effects of the drug to wear off.

“……..”

Thinking that, No. 13 fiddled with Violet’s red lips.

Yeah… That’s right. He shouldn’t have impure thoughts.

He wouldn’t. Yep, of course. …Of course.

* * *

……………………………………

………………

……

At the sensation of being tapped on the shoulder, and at the sound of someone calling his name several times.

Violet, the boss of the villainous organization 『Abyss』, slowly regained consciousness.

“…Ah…?”

Her vision was blurry. Her head throbbed.

Even though Violet had regained consciousness, she was still in a confused state, unable to distinguish between reality and dreams.

She felt like she had been dreaming something all along, but she couldn’t remember what she had dreamed.

‘Surely, with No. 13…?’

Thinking that far, Violet realized that she was lying on a bed.

Her thoughts were still unclear, as if her head was submerged in water.

Struggling with her heavy head, Violet struggled to sit up.

“Are you awake, Boss?”

“…No. 13.”

Violet frowned when she saw No. 13 sitting beside her.

“Why am I here….”

Surely she had asked him to bring Spade today.

The enemy who killed her sister. Today, she would meet that enemy, face them directly, and then cut off their breath.

That’s why she visited this abandoned factory, and then──

“Boss, do you feel anything strange, or do you have any pain?”

“Uh… No, I don’t think so.”

“That’s a relief then. …Then, I’ll continue what I was doing.”

“What you were doing?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Saying that, No. 13 stood up from his seat and said sternly to Violet.

“From now on, I will carry out Boss’s orders. I will proceed with the punishment as ordered, so Boss, please take off your clothes right now.”

Violet froze at No. 13’s statement.